Common Causes of CHF
- Coronary artery disease
- High blood pressure, usually over a period of years
- Heart valve disease
- Infections, such as from viruses (including Coxsackie and HIV), bacteria or parasites
- Diseases of the pericardium - a fluid-filled sac around the heart
- Myocarditis - inflammation of the heart walls
- Drugs - especially chemotherapy - such as doxorubicin (Adriamycin), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) or cocaine
- Excessive alcohol drinking
- Connective tissue disease
- Tachycardia - a too-fast heart rhythm, usually over a period of years
- Obstructive cardiomyopathy, also called restrictive cardiomyopathy
- Neuromuscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy or Friedreich's ataxia
- Metabolic disorders, such as Pompe's disease or McArdle's disease
- Nutritional disorders, such as beriberi or kwashiorkor
- Radiation
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM or IHSS)
- Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), caused by strain on the heart during pregnancy
- Dilated idiopathic cardiomyopathy - heart enlargement and heart weakness of unknown cause
- Severe anemia
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
- Hyperaldosteronism
- Chronic sleep apnea
- Amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, hemochromatosis or cancer
All information on this site is opinion only. All concepts, explanations, trials, and studies have been re-written in plain English and may contain errors. I am not a doctor. Use the reference information at the end of each article to search MedLine for more complete and accurate information. All original copyrights apply. No information on this page should be used by any person to affect their medical, legal, educational, social, or psychological treatment in any way. I am not a doctor. This web site and all its pages, graphics, and content copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Jon C.