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Heart
disease The heart is a powerful pump made of
specialized muscle. It normally pumps enough blood to supply
the body's needs. Heart disease occurs when the heart becomes
damaged.
Heart
failure occurs when the damage done to the heart
weakens the pumping action of the heart. The heart is then
unable to supply enough blood to meet the body's needs.
When
the heart does not pump effectively, blood may back up in
the heart, lungs or other organs, causing blood vessels
to constrict and blood pressure to increase. As a result,
fluid may leak out of the vessels accumulating in the lungs
or abdomen and other tissues or both, causing a condition
known as congestive heart failure.
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