Congestive heart failure - right
Key points
- Right-sided heart failure is a disorder in which the right side of the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently, which is often a complication of other conditions.
- Heart failure may affect the right side, the left side, or both sides of the heart.
- When an individual is predisposed to heart failure, sudden symptoms may be caused by any factors that impose additional demands on the heart.
- Your health care provider will obtain your medical history and will conduct a physical examination.
Alternative names
Right-sided heart failure
Definition
Right-sided heart failure is a disorder in which the right side of the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently, which is often a complication of other conditions.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Heart failure may affect the right side, the left side, or both sides of the heart. In right-sided heart failure, the right side of the heart loses its pumping action and blood may back up into other areas of the body, producing congestion. Congestion affects the liver, the gastrointestinal tract, and the limbs.
In addition, the heart may be unable to pump blood efficiently to the lungs.
Causes of right-sided heart failure include left-sided heart failure and chronic lung diseases (such as emphysema). Other causes include congenital heart disease, primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), and heart valve disease.
Right-sided heart failure occurs in approximately 5 out of 100 people.
Symptoms
- Swelling of feet and ankles
- Urinating more frequently at night
- Pronounced neck veins
- Palpitations (sensation of feeling the heart beat)
- Irregular heartbeat or rapid heartbeat
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Faintness
When an individual is predisposed to heart failure, sudden symptoms may be caused by any factors that impose additional demands on the heart. These factors include the following:
- Increased activity
- Increased intake of fluids or salt
- Fever
- Infections
- Anemia
- Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias)
- Overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
- Kidney disease
Heart function may also worsen if you stop taking medications used to treat heart failure, such as diuretics, digoxin, ACE inhibitors, or vasodilators.
Signs and tests
Your health care provider will obtain your medical history and will conduct a physical examination. The examination may reveal the following:
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.