What Are Types of Heart Failure?

Types of Heart Failure

Heart failure can be classified based on its location in the heart, the heart’s pumping ability, and the duration of the condition. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for effective treatment and management.

Location-Based Classification

• Left-Sided Heart Failure: This occurs when the left ventricle is too weak to pump blood effectively, causing blood to accumulate in the pulmonary veins.
• Right-Sided Heart Failure: This happens when the right ventricle cannot pump blood to the lungs efficiently, often as a result of left-sided heart failure.
• Biventricular Heart Failure: In some cases, both sides of the heart are affected, leading to a combination of left- and right-sided heart failure symptoms.

Pumping Function

• Systolic Heart Failure: The heart’s left ventricle is too weak to contract properly, leading to inadequate blood flow. This is also known as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), where the heart’s pumping capacity is less than or equal to 40%.
• Diastolic Heart Failure: The left ventricle becomes stiff and cannot fill properly with blood. This is also called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), with the heart pumping at an ejection fraction of 50% or higher. There is also a mid-range category (HFmrEF) where the ejection fraction is between 41% and 49%.

Duration and Onset

• Acute Heart Failure: Symptoms develop suddenly and can be severe. This can occur in someone newly diagnosed or in someone with chronic heart failure experiencing a sudden worsening of symptoms.
• Chronic Heart Failure: Symptoms develop gradually and persist over a long period, requiring ongoing management.

Other Specific Types of Heart Failure

• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF): This type requires immediate medical attention and can involve left-sided, right-sided, or high-output heart failure. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, fatigue, and swelling in the ankles, legs, and abdomen.
• Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF): This occurs when the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) has a reduced ability to pump blood.

Detailed Types of Heart Failure

Left-Sided Heart Failure

The left ventricle is responsible for pumping oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the rest of the body. It is the largest and most critical chamber of the heart.

• Systolic Failure: The left ventricle loses its ability to contract normally, resulting in insufficient blood being pumped into circulation. This is also known as HFrEF.
• Diastolic Failure: The left ventricle becomes stiff and cannot relax properly, impeding its ability to fill with blood during the resting period between heartbeats. This is known as HFpEF. HFmrEF is a newer category where the left ventricle’s ejection fraction is between 41% and 49%.

Right-Sided Heart Failure

The right ventricle pumps “used” blood that lacks oxygen back to the lungs for oxygenation. Right-sided heart failure often results from left-sided heart failure, where increased fluid pressure from the left side affects the right side.

Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure is a critical condition requiring prompt medical attention. Blood flow out of the heart slows, causing blood to back up in the veins and leading to congestion in the body’s tissues. This can result in swelling (edema), often in the legs and ankles, and fluid accumulation in the lungs (pulmonary edema), causing breathing difficulties. Untreated, pulmonary edema can lead to respiratory distress. Additionally, heart failure affects the kidneys’ ability to eliminate sodium and water, increasing blood volume and tissue swelling.

Conclusion

The type of heart failure a person experiences significantly influences their treatment plan. By understanding the specific type and characteristics of heart failure, healthcare providers can tailor treatments to manage symptoms, improve quality of life, and prevent the condition from worsening.