Congestive heart failure is a weakness of a person's heart leading to a buildup of fluid in the lungs and other body tissues surrounding it. About half of people who develop heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis. In the United States, approximately six million people suffer from congestive heart failure, which causes nearly 55,000 deaths per year. In order to avoid congestive heart failure, you need to be aware of the causes, symptoms, and even treatments that open up new opportunities for people with the condition. There is a very long list of factors that can cause congestive heart failure. Among this list are aging, obesity, diabetes and other diseases. One of the most common causes of congestive heart failure is hypertension, which is abnormally high blood pressure that causes the heart muscle to stress and pump against significant pressure. High blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, causing problems with stiffness leading to muscle weakening, thereby contributing to the development of congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure is also caused by heart attacks because these damage part of the heart muscle and make the heart pump less effective. Another cause of congestive heart failure is cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart to become infected and weaken. Congestive heart failure is more common in older adults because as people age, their hearts weaken and their blood vessels narrow, making them more susceptible to this disease. Another cause of congestive heart failure is fatty materials that enter the coronary arteries, causing the heart's blood vessels to narrow and become blocked. This is called coronary heart disease. Blood flowing through the middle of paper......naps and big meals as bedtime approaches. Patients will also now have to ask their doctor a few questions. These questions include things like how much alcohol they can drink, how much physical activity they should do, how much rest they should get and, if so, how much weight should they get? they lose. Congestive heart failure is a very serious disease that has causes, symptoms and even treatments that open up new opportunities for people with the disease. If you suffer from any illness, you could eventually develop congestive heart failure due to the large number of causes. Although there are many symptoms, no one should use just one for self-diagnosis because having just one or two symptoms does not mean you have the disease. If you are concerned about your health and may be suffering from congestive heart failure, call a doctor and get treatment as soon as possible..