Heart Failure & Heart Massage

Heart failure does not mean that the heart has ceased to beat, but rather that it cannot meet the demands for blood made on it by the body. Heart failure is also called congestive cardiac failure (CCF) or cardiac insufficiency. The condition may be secondary to heart disease, lung disease, hypertension. Symptoms may include breathlessness, fluid accumulation in the legs, abdomen (dropsy) and lungs, giddiness, and fainting. Many cases of heart failure can be successfully treated with drugs such as digitalis and diuretics and a sensible routine of rest and gentle exercise.

Heart massage is more commonly known as external cardiac compression, this is an emergency treatment technique used to restore the beating of a heart that has stopped.