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Congestive Heart Failure

Meaning

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a chronic, progressive pathophysiological syndrome where the heart muscle is unable to pump sufficient blood to meet the body’s metabolic demands for oxygen and nutrients. This hemodynamic insufficiency results in the pathological accumulation of fluid, or congestion, in the lungs and peripheral tissues. The condition is often classified by its impact on the heart’s ejection fraction, defining either systolic or diastolic dysfunction. Hormonal imbalances, including thyroid dysfunction and altered adrenal axis activity, can significantly contribute to its onset and clinical progression.