Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Treatment: Medicine

The treatment and management of congestive heart failure (CHF) includes lifestyle changes, medications, medical devices, and surgery. The goal of these treatments is to improve heart function, control excess water and salt retention, and reduce further risk of heart damage.

Medications for CHF include:

• Diuretics
• Aldosterone receptor blocker
• Vasodilators
• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors)
• Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
• Beta-blockers
• Digoxin

Medical devices and associated procedures for CHF include:

• Biventricular Cardiac Pacemaker (Pacemaker) and pacemaker insertion
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) and ICD implantation
• Left-Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)

Surgical procedures for CHF include:

• Heart valve replacement
• Coronary artery bypass
• Heart transplant

• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Diuretics
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Aldosterone Receptor Blockers
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Vasodilators
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Beta Blockers
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Digoxin
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Biventricular Cardiac Pacemaker
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Left-Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Automatic Cardioverter Defibrillator Implantation
• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Surgery
• Talking to Your Doctor About Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

In congestive heart failure (CHF), the heart muscle cannot pump adequate amounts of blood to meet the body’s needs. Diuretics help lighten the load by promoting the excretion of water and sodium from...

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Eplerenone (Inspra) helps treat congestive heart failure by controlling high blood pressure. The drug controls high blood pressure by blocking chemicals that stimulate the body.

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ACE inhibitors prevent the body from creating angiotensin II, a substance in the blood that causes vessels to tighten and raises blood pressure. As a result, ACE inhibitors relax blood vessels, lower...

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People with congestive heart failoure often have blood vessels that are constricted, which causes the heart to work harder pumping blood through the vessels. Vasodilators help address this problem by...

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Like ACE inhibitors, ARBs relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and ease the heart’s workload.

Read more about Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs).

Beta-blockers help treat congestive heart failure by slowing the heart rate and reducing blood pressure.

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Digoxin helps treat congestive heart failure by increasing the strength of the heart contractions, slowing the heartbeat, and controlling abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation.

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The pacemaker is implanted in the chest and connected to the heart. This type of pacemaker sends carefully timed electrical impulses to the heart’s lower chambers. Controlling the rhythm of the heart...

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A left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) helps treat congestive heart failure by temporarily assisting the heart's pumping.

Read more about Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Left-Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD).

Patients with congestive heart failure are more prone to certain heart arrhythmias that put them at risk for sudden cardiac death. ICDs are implanted in those patients to prevent such arrhythmias...

Read more about Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Automatic Cardioverter Defibrillator Implantation.

Surgeries can help treat congestive heart failure in a few different ways:

• Coronary Artery Bypass: If coronary artery disease (CAD) is the cause of congestive heart failure, a coronary...

Read more about Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Surgery.