CHF is a medical abbreviation forcongestive heart failure, sometimes simply referred to as heart failure. Despite this name, the heart doesn’t actually stop functioning altogether. Rather, its muscles fail to keep up with the body’s needs, meaning the heart is unable to properly circulate blood.
This typically chronic condition causes blood to pool in arteries and veins, leading to swelling (usually in the feet and ankles), fluid buildup in the lungs, and kidney problems, among many other symptoms.CHF most often arises in those who’ve had or are having other heart problems like coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension (high blood pressure), and heart attack.
Using the CHF Medical Abbreviation
A sub-type of a broader category of heart failure that also includes right and left-sided heart failure, CHF is quite common, with almost 5 million people living with it in the U.S.As such, you’ll most likely hear CHF used when your primary care physician or a cardiologist suspects the condition, or when the other types of heart failure have been ruled out.
Why Your Healthcare Professional Might Discuss CHF
CHF most often arises as a result of other heart conditions, though it can also occur on its own. As such, it’ll be screened for when other conditions, such ascoronary artery disease (CAD),type 2 diabetes, irregular heartbeat, or high blood pressure, are present.
It may also be a concern if you’ve had a heart attack, were born with heart valve defects, or have contracted some viruses, such as thehuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and this may also prompt screening.Finally, cancer patients who’ve undergone radiation therapy may also experience damage to the heart leading to CHF.
Signs of CHF
The symptoms of CHF include:
Risks of CHF
The severity of CHF can vary a great deal; however, often because of its association with other health issues, the condition can be deadly. More than half of those diagnosed with CHF have been found to die within five years of diagnosis.
The condition requires management and will get worse if untreated, especially in cases where symptoms are becoming dangerous, such as when the lungs start filling with fluid. Notably, those who’ve been diagnosed are six to nine times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest, in which the heart stops.
CHF is particularly a point of concern for those with other health conditions or risk factors. These include:
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How CHF Is Diagnosed
Several tests are used todiagnose CHF:
What You Should Know About CHF
Primarily, the damaging effects of CHF have to do with “congestion,” or the improper pooling of blood due to the failure of healthy circulation. Over time, problems get worse as the body attempts to compensate for this issue, leading to:
These factors, alongside the impact of blood congestion in parts of the body, contribute to the range of CHF symptoms that are seen.
Stages of Heart Failure
Heart failure is classified into four stages:
Stage Arepresents those at risk for heart failure, but with no active disease or symptoms. Stage A treatment focuses on prevention through lifestyle changes and medication.
Stage Bis considered pre-heart failure. In stage B, there is structural disease but no other symptoms of heart failure. This stage is treated with more aggressive medications or surgery in addition to lifestyle modifications.
Stage Cdescribes a person who has structural disease and symptoms of heart failure, such as shortness of breath, fatigue, decreased ability to exercise, weak legs, and swollen feet, ankles, lower legs, and abdomen. Treatment in stage C focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing further damage.
Causes
Primarily, CHF is related to heart health. It arises due to:
Prevention
Given how severe CHF can be, it’s important to understand prevention strategies for the condition. These include:
Treatment
There is no specific cure for CHF, so treatment relies on taking on the underlying conditions that have caused it. Therapy for this type of heart disease can include:
Heart-healthy lifestyle changes:Adjusting exercise levels, diet, and other aspects of health can combat the conditions underlying CHF to help manage it.
Drug therapy:Medications that lower blood pressure and ease cardiac strain can help. These include:
Treating other diseases: Managing type 2 diabetes can also critically prevent the further development of CHF.
Pacemaker:Since CHF can cause the left and right sides of the heart to become out of sync, a pacemaker device may help correct this issue and reduce symptoms.
Defibrillator: In cases where heartbeat comes very irregular and rapid, healthcare providers may need to surgically implant a special electronic device called an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to monitor rhythm and correct it as necessary.
CHF Complications Related to Other Body Functions
CHF doesn’t only affect the heart. In fact, some of the most prominent symptoms arise due to the effect of blood congestion in other organ systems. These include:
A Word From Verywell
There’s no doubt that CHF is a term that most wouldn’t want to hear coming from their healthcare provider. Your first question may be, “Is CHF life threatening?” As with any condition related to the heart, this disease has a cascade of effects, and, especially if left untreated, can be fatal.
That said, there are many treatment strategies available to take it on. While the road isn’t easy—most often, getting a handle on CHF means making significant changes or undergoing significant treatment—it’s important to remember that management is indeed possible.
As techniques, therapies, and technologies continue to evolve, the outlook for those with this disease will only get better.
Frequently Asked Questions
CHF stands for congestive heart failure, which is sometimes just called heart failure. This is a condition where the heart muscle is weakened and unable to circulate blood properly.Learn MoreAre Congestive Heart Failure and Heart Failure the Same?
CHF stands for congestive heart failure, which is sometimes just called heart failure. This is a condition where the heart muscle is weakened and unable to circulate blood properly.
Learn MoreAre Congestive Heart Failure and Heart Failure the Same?
The prognosis for congestive heart failure depends on the cause and severity of the disease along with the presence of other underlying conditions. In general, though, 81.3% of those with CHF can expect to live one year; 51.5% five years; and 29.5% 10 years.Learn MoreHow Long Can You Live with Heart Failure?
The prognosis for congestive heart failure depends on the cause and severity of the disease along with the presence of other underlying conditions. In general, though, 81.3% of those with CHF can expect to live one year; 51.5% five years; and 29.5% 10 years.
Learn MoreHow Long Can You Live with Heart Failure?
Learn MoreCauses and Risk Factors of CHF
Because you tend to have fluid build-up with CHF, your healthcare provider may advise you to reduce your fluid intake.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Types of Heart Failure.University of California San Francisco Health.Heart Failure Symptoms.Emory Health Care.Heart Failure Statistics.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health.Heart failure.American Heart Association.Common Tests for Heart Failure.Heidenreich P, Bozkurt B, Aguilar D, et al.2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline for the management of heart failure.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(17):e263–e421. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.12.012Horwich T, Fonarow G.Prevention of heart failure.JAMA Cardiol. 2017;2(1):116. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2016.3394Jones NR, Hobbs FR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open. 2017;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399%2Fbjgpopen17X101013MedlinePlus.Heart failure - fluids and diuretics.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Types of Heart Failure.University of California San Francisco Health.Heart Failure Symptoms.Emory Health Care.Heart Failure Statistics.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health.Heart failure.American Heart Association.Common Tests for Heart Failure.Heidenreich P, Bozkurt B, Aguilar D, et al.2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline for the management of heart failure.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(17):e263–e421. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.12.012Horwich T, Fonarow G.Prevention of heart failure.JAMA Cardiol. 2017;2(1):116. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2016.3394Jones NR, Hobbs FR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open. 2017;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399%2Fbjgpopen17X101013MedlinePlus.Heart failure - fluids and diuretics.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.Types of Heart Failure.University of California San Francisco Health.Heart Failure Symptoms.Emory Health Care.Heart Failure Statistics.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health.Heart failure.American Heart Association.Common Tests for Heart Failure.Heidenreich P, Bozkurt B, Aguilar D, et al.2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline for the management of heart failure.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(17):e263–e421. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.12.012Horwich T, Fonarow G.Prevention of heart failure.JAMA Cardiol. 2017;2(1):116. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2016.3394Jones NR, Hobbs FR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open. 2017;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399%2Fbjgpopen17X101013MedlinePlus.Heart failure - fluids and diuretics.
American Heart Association.Types of Heart Failure.
University of California San Francisco Health.Heart Failure Symptoms.
Emory Health Care.Heart Failure Statistics.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health.Heart failure.
American Heart Association.Common Tests for Heart Failure.
Heidenreich P, Bozkurt B, Aguilar D, et al.2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline for the management of heart failure.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(17):e263–e421. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.12.012
Horwich T, Fonarow G.Prevention of heart failure.JAMA Cardiol. 2017;2(1):116. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2016.3394
Jones NR, Hobbs FR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open. 2017;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399%2Fbjgpopen17X101013
MedlinePlus.Heart failure - fluids and diuretics.
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