Chronic Heart Failure is a condition where the heart has failed to support the physiological circulation needed to provide the organs and tissues of the body with nutrients and oxygen (Peate & Dutton 2012). This condition usually occurs because the muscles of the heart have weakened or are too stiff to work. There are several causes of CHF, including heart attacks, high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, heart valve problems and structural changes to the myocardium; yet the type of CHF depends on which part of the heart is affected and the extent of the damage (NICE 2010). There are around 900,000 people in the UK who suffer from heart failure and within a year 30-40% of patients will die due to heart failure. Statistics show that the survival rate for CHF is worse than breast or prostate cancer. …show more content…
The main symptoms of CHF are breathlessness, fatigue and ankle swelling (NICE 2010). According to NICE guidelines (2010) there are two main types of heart failure, left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF). LVSD is caused by damage to the left ventricle when it cannot contract, whereas HFPEF is caused by impairment of the left ventricular relaxation, rather than contraction. Patients should be advised not to smoke as it increases the chances of breathlessness; in this case they should be referred to cessation services in order to support the individual 's choice to eliminate a symptom. Patients should also limit their alcohol consumption due to the increase of liver damage, which they are more likely to have due to oedema. Oedema and breathlessness lead to an individual 's increase in fatigue, feelings of weakness and lessening their