Congestive Heart Failure
Overview:
Heart failure can be classified as left sided or right sided. A patient’s clinical signs will vary depending on which side of the heart is affected. There are some genetic disorders that contribute to heart failure, but it is more common to have an acquired condition develop that causes the heart to fail.
Causes:
The list of causes of heart failure is very lengthy and all can not be covered. The most common syndromes are listed:Left sided- Dilated Cardiomyopathy, hypertension, mitral valve endocardiosis (most common), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, atrial tumorsRight sided- Dilated Cardiomyopathy, heartworms, hyperthyroidism, mitral valve insufficiency, COPD, pulmonary hypertension
Symptoms:
The symptoms also vary depending on the side of the heart affected:Left sided- weakness, coughing (rare in cats), exercise intolerance, increased respiratory rate, fluid buildup in the lungs (pulmonary edema), cyanotic gumsRight sided- ascites (fluid in abdomen), lethargy, exercise intolerance, shallow breathing, fluid around lungs (pleural effusion), enlarged liver, distended abdomen
Treatment:
Most cases of heart failure are incurable except in cases of heartworm disease and thyroid disorders. Those conditions can be treated and the patient can do very well.Veterinary medications for heart failure have made many advances and most patients with this disease live longer and have a good quality of life. There are diuretics available that will diminish the amount of fluid either in the abdomen or lungs. There is at least a dozen heart medications that can benefit the patient by making the heart beat more effectively and treating hypertension. Diets lower in sodium are beneficial also.
