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What causes heart failure?
Heart failure can be caused by a number of things depending on what type of heart failure you have.
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (otherwise known as Systolic heart failure) occurs when the main pumping chamber of the heart becomes enlarged or weakened and so does not pump effectively
1.) Heart attacks in the past.
2.) High blood pressure.
3.) Narrow or leaking heart valves.
4.) Excessive alcohol intake
5.) Viral heart infection.
6.) Coronary heart disease.
In some people the cause is unknown.
A disturbance in heart rhythm known as Atrial Fibrillation (AF) can also cause symptoms of heart failure. Sometimes if the rhythm can be reverted to a normal rhythm or the rate can be controlled then the symptoms of heart failure resolve.
However often AF and heart failure are closely linked and
can happen at the same time because they have similar causes. Having AF increases your chances of Heart failure and having Heart Failure increases your chances of developing AF. Many of the causes for AF are listed above however others influencing factors include: smoking, excess alcohol, caffeine, and recreational drugs.
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