There are many symptoms of right sided heart failure, which can help identify this condition at the earliest. This article provides information about the various symptoms of this heart condition.
The heart is one of the most important organs in the body. It is the central organ of the circulatory system that works continuously to supply oxygenated blood to the entire body. The organ is divided into four chambers, two atria on the top and two ventricles below. The ventricles pump out blood from the heart to the rest of the body. When the heart fails to pump blood to various organs of the body, it leads to congestive heart failure (CHF). Right sided heart failure occurs when the right ventricle fails to pump blood to the lungs.
Causes
Although there cannot be one single cause of heart failure, there can be many risk factors or indirect causes that can be pointed out. These include:
- Ischemia or ischemic heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Diabetes mellitus
- Myocarditis
- Connective tissue diseases and immune system diseases
- Drug and alcohol abuse
Symptoms
Edema
One of the most common symptoms of this condition is edema. It occurs due to the failure of the right ventricle to push enough blood into various parts of the body. This leads to congestion of the capillaries that are present in the peripheral parts of the body. This in turn, causes buildup of excess fluids in the body, which manifests in the form of edema and swelling under the skin. It is one of the prominent signs of CHF and is usually seen in the peripheries, like the foot or the ankle. The capillary congestion could also lead to pronounced distended veins in the neck. In very severe cases, there may be development of ascites, that is swelling and accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Frequent Urination at Night
One of the other symptoms of this condition is frequent urination at night, which is also known as nocturia. This is usually seen as an effect of the edema, wherein the fluid that gets accumulated on the ankle and legs returns into systemic circulation when the person is sleeping or is in supine position. This leads to excessive urine being produced, and hence excess urination.
Hepatomegaly
In this condition the liver gets enlarged, due to congestion of the blood vessels of the liver, that is, the vessels supplying blood to the hepatocytes. This leads to excess load on the liver, due to which it does not function properly, gets enlarged, and also shows signs and symptoms of jaundice. Due to congestion of the liver and the abdominal region, this area of the body does not receive adequate amount of blood. This leads to other symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, and subsequent weight loss.
Other Symptoms
There are few other symptoms that may be seen in an affected individual, which include shortness of breath, arrhythmia, palpitations, anxiety, fatigue, and weakness, etc. Shortness of breath, which occurs due to the congestion of vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart, may lead to pooling of fluid in the lungs. This may cause breathing problems and may prove fatal in some cases.
These aforementioned symptoms can help in diagnosing the condition at the earliest. It is a very serious condition, that could lead to dire consequences, if not dealt with at the earliest. The stress on the heart could lead to less amount of blood being pumped to various organs, which could lead to a multi-organ failure. Hence, it is best to ensure that your heart is healthy, because a healthy heart would mean a healthy body.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.
