When the heart is in failure, it either can't fill up with enough blood or it doesn't pump with enough force. "Congestive" heart failure is when this inability causes blood and fluid to back up into the lungs. This causes symptoms such as shortness of breath and fluid building up in the feet, ankles, and legs. Congestive heart failure typically cannot be cured. In addition, as congestive heart failure progresses, symptoms tend to become worse. A few other names for heart failure besides congestive heart failure include left-sided heart failure, right-sided heart failure, and diastolic heart failure.
(Click Congestive Heart Failure to read the complete eMedTV article on congestive heart failure, which includes more detailed information about congestive heart failure symptoms and how the condition progresses, as well as statistics on how many people it affects.)
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