Congestive Heart Failure 充血性心力衰竭

What is congestive heart failure?什么是充血性心力衰竭？

Congestive heart failure is a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough oxygenated blood to meet the needs of the body's other organs. The heart keeps pumping, but not as efficiently as a healthy heart. Usually, the loss in the heart's pumping action is a symptom of an underlying heart problem.充血性心力衰竭是心脏不能够泵出足够的氧合血以满足身体其他器官的需要的一种病态。心脏持续工作，但不如健康心脏有效。通常，心脏泵功能的降低是潜在的心脏病的一种症状。

What causes congestive heart failure?什么引起充血性心力衰竭？

Congestive heart failure may result from any/all of the following:充血性心脏病由以下任何／所有的原因产生。

• heart valve disease - caused by past rheumatic fever or other infections心瓣膜病：由过去的风湿热或其他感染并引起。

• high blood pressure (hypertension)高血压（hypertension)

• infections of the heart valves and/or heart muscle (i.e., endocarditis)心瓣膜和／或心肌的感染（心内膜炎）

• previous heart attack(s) (myocardial infarction) - scar tissue from previous attacks may interfere with the heart muscle's ability to work normally以前有心脏病发作（心肌梗塞）：以前的发作造成的瘢痕组织可能妨碍心肌正常工作的能力。

• coronary artery disease - narrowed arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle冠心病：供应血液到心肌的动脉狭窄。

• cardiomyopathy - or another primary disease of the heart muscle心肌病：或者其它心肌原发病。

• congenital heart disease/defects (present at birth)先天性心脏病

• cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)心律失常

• chronic lung disease and pulmonary embolism慢性肺病和肺栓塞

• drug-induced heart failure药物引起的心衰

• excessive sodium intake过多的摄入钠

• hemorrhage and anemia出血和贫血

How does congestive heart failure affect the body?充血性心力衰竭怎样影响心脏？

Congestive heart failure interferes with the kidney's normal function of eliminating excess sodium and waste from the body. In congestive heart failure, the body retains more fluid - resulting in swelling of the ankles and legs. Fluid may also collect in the lungs - resulting in shortness of breath.充血性心力衰竭干扰了肾脏从身体里排除过多的盐和代谢产物的正常功能。充血性心衰的病人体内可能保持过多的水分导致踝部和下肢肿胀。液体也可能聚集在肺里，导致呼吸短促。

What are the symptoms of congestive heart failure?充血性心力衰竭有什么症状？

The following are the most common symptoms of congestive heart failure. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:以下是充血性心衰最常见的症状。

• weight gain体重增加

• visible swelling of the legs and ankles (due to a build-up of fluid), and, occasionally, the abdomen腿和踝部的水肿，偶然也有腹部的。

• shortness of breath during rest or exercise在休息或者活动时呼吸短促

• fatigue疲劳

• loss of appetite and nausea失去食欲和恶心

• persistent cough - often produces mucus or blood-tinged sputum持续咳嗽

The severity of the condition and symptoms depends on how much of the heart's pumping capacity has been lost.这种情况和症状的严重性取决于心脏的射血能力丧失多少。

The symptoms of congestive heart failure may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.充血性心力衰竭的症状可能类似于其他的疾病或心脏问题。对于诊断，总要请教你的医生。

How is congestive heart failure diagnosed?怎样诊断充血性心力衰竭？

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for congestive heart failure may include any, or a combination of, the following:除了完成病历和身体检查以外，充血性心力衰竭的诊断程序可以包括任何或结合以下的项目：

• laboratory tests实验室检验

• chest x-ray - a diagnostic test which uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.胸部X线检查：用一种看不见的电磁波投射在胶片上产生内部组织，骨骼，和脏器的影像的诊断性的检查。

• electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) - a test that records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias or dysrhythmias), and detects heart muscle damage.一种记录心脏电活动的测试，可以显示不正常的心律（arrhythmias或dysrhythmias),还可以发现心肌损害。

• echocardiogram (Also called echo.) - a noninvasive test that uses sound waves to produce a study of the motion of the heart's chambers and valves. The echo sound waves create an image on the monitor as an ultrasound transducer is passed over the heart.超声心动图（也称为echo)：一种用电子传感器把通过心脏的超声波在荧光屏上转换成心脏和心脏瓣膜的活动影像来评价心脏的结构和功能的非侵入性的检查方法。

Treatment for congestive heart failure:充血性心力衰竭的治疗：

Specific treatment for congestive heart failure will be determined by your physician based on:充血性心衰的特殊治疗将由你的医生根据以下几点作出决定：

• your age, overall health, and medical history
• extent of the disease
• your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• expectations for the course of the disease
• your opinion or preference
• 你的年龄，全面的健康情况，和病史。
• 病的程度。
• 你对于特殊的药物，手术，或其他治疗的耐受性。
• 疾病过程的预后。
• 你的意见或选择。

The cause of the congestive heart failure will dictate the treatment protocol established. If the heart failure is caused by a valve disorder, then surgery is usually performed. If the heart failure is caused by a disease, such as anemia, then the disease is treated. And, although there is no cure for heart failure due to a damaged heart muscle, many forms of treatment have proven to be successful.要根据充血性心力衰竭的原因来制订治疗的方案。如果心衰是由瓣膜病引起的，通常将施行手术。如果心衰是由某种病引起的，比如贫血，就治疗这种病。虽然由心肌损害引起的心衰不会痊愈，但多种形式的治疗已经证明是有效的。

The goal of treatment is to improve a person's quality of life by making the appropriate lifestyle changes and implementing drug therapy.治疗的目的是通过作出适当的生活方式的改变和进行药物治疗来改善一个人的生活质量。

Treatment of congestive heart failure may include:充血性心力衰竭的治疗可以包括以下：

• controlling risk factors控制危险因素
• losing weight (if overweight)减轻体重（如果超重）
• restricting salt and fat from the diet限制饮食的盐和脂肪
• stop smoking停止吸烟
• abstaining from alcohol禁酒
• proper rest适当的休息
• medication, such as:药物，如下：
• digitalis- to increase heart contractions洋地黄：增加心肌收缩力
• angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors - to decrease the pressure inside the blood vessels血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂（ACE)：减低血管内的压力
• diuretics- to reduce the amount of fluid in the body利尿药：减少体内的液体量。
• vasodilators- to dilate the blood vessels血管扩张药：使血管扩张
• heart transplantation心脏移植

返回首页