What causes heart failure?
Heart failure is not an exact diagnosis. Heart failure is a general 'umbrella' term and may develop as a complication of various conditions. Conditions that causes heart failure affect the ability of the heart to function well as a pump. Conditions that may cause heart failure include the following:
Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) is the most common cause? Ischaemic Heart Disease is sometimes called 'Coronoary Heart Disease, and sometimes just 'Heart Disease'. Some people also call it 'hardening of the arteries' to the heart. In this condition, the blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced by narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen. The heart muscle may then not function as well as normal. Other symptoms of IHD may occur such as angina (heart pains). IHD is common in the UK, and heart failure is a complication that occurs in some cases.
In particular, heart failure may develop after a heart attack (myocardial infarction). A heart attack is a complication of IHD and causes part of the heart muscle to die. Following a heart attack, scar tissue forms in the affected part of the heart muscle. The larger the heart attack (and area of scar tissue), the more this may affect the function of the heart and lead to heart failure.
Other causes
Various other conditions can also cause heart failure. For example:
- diseases of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).
- high blood pressure.
- diseases of the heart valves.
- diseases of the pericardium - the tissue that surrounds the heart.
- some types of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
- drugs or chemicals that may damage the heart muscle. For example, alcohol excess, cocaine, and some types of chemotherapy.
- various non-heart conditions that can affect the function of the heart. For example, severe anaemia, thyroid disease, Paget's disease.
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