Risk Factors for CHF

A number of conditions may lead to CHF, including:

• CAD
• History of heart attack
• Advanced age
• Irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmias
• Heart valve disease
• Thyroid disease
• Diabetes
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Cardiomyopathy
• Congenital heart defects
• Chronic high blood pressure

Unfortunately, CHF is difficult to diagnose because it often occurs in conjunction with, or as a result of, other forms of heart disease. The best hope for patients with CHF is to catch the disease early, before it has caused permanent enlargement of the heart. The symptoms of CHF include fatigue, shortness of breath, coughing, swelling, and, when severe, bluish extremities.