PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Our hearts work continuously, pumping blood through our bodies. So, what's happening when the heart begins to fail?
Heart failure is the result of a disruption or impairment of the way the ventricles of the heart either fill with blood or push the blood out into the body. When this happens the results can be dramatic: shortness of breath, fatigue, fluid retention in various areas of the body.
Heart failure is classified into stages, ranging from Stage 1, in which symptoms occur with extreme exertion, all the way to Stage 4, where symptoms occur at rest.
The major cause of heart failure: uncontrolled high blood pressure. This is why it is so important to have your blood pressure checked and to take medications if they have been prescribed.
KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
