Congestive heart failure (CHF) is defined as a clinical syndrome in which the heart fails to pump blood normally, resulting in congestion of the circulation pulmonary and/or systemic and decreased blood flow to tissues due to reduced cardiac output. (Berkow, MD) The result is that the heart does not pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. CHF can be caused by a variety of conditions affecting the heart, such as: diseases or substances that weaken the heart muscle, such as heart attacks, infections or toxins; diseases that cause stiffening of the heart muscle such as hemochromatosis, amyloidosis, coronary heart disease and long-term hypertension; and diseases that increase the oxygen demand of body tissues beyond the heart's ability to supply oxygen-rich blood, such as in hyperthyroidism or anemia. (Kulick, MD and Shiel Jr., MD) CHF can affect many different organs, including the heart, lungs, liver, intestines, and subcutaneous tissues. Symptoms of CHF are wide-ranging but can include fatigue, edema, particularly of the ankles and legs, shortness of breath with minimal exertion, and inability to lie flat due to reduced breathing capacity. . Increased urination may occur, especially at night, and due to fluid accumulations in the liver and intestines, nausea, abdominal pain and decreased appetite may result. (Kulick, MD, and Shiel Jr., MD) Although CHF is an equal opportunity disease, there are some differences between men and women, one of which is that women tend to develop the ICC later than men. Women more commonly develop diastolic than systolic heart failure. Women often experience more noticeable shortness of breath and ankle swelling than men, and in g...... middle of paper ...... facilitates - Clinical modification. 9th rev., 6th ed. 1. United States: Ingenix, 2010. Print. Ingenix, Inc., staff. “Heart Failure Coding Challenges.” Advance for health information professionals. May 22, 2007: b. page. Internet. November 20, 2011. Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI, DL and WC Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR, eds. MedicineNet.com. Np, and Web. November 20, 2011. .Starling, MD, Randall C. The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Heart Failure. New York, NY: Kaplan, 2009. Print.unknown, . “Need to look for decreased acute CHF, thanks to the new Coding Clinic. » HCPro. Np, October 30, 2008. Web. November 20 2011. .