I50.9: Heart failure, unspecified
The heart pumps blood through the body. Inside the heart are 4 chambers. There are 2 heart atria and 2 ventricles. Both heart atria and both ventricles are separated from each other by a partition. The right ventricle pumps the blood to the lungs. Then the left ventricle pumps the blood to the body.
If the left ventricle fails to pump the blood properly, the organs may not be adequately supplied with oxygen. Fluid may also collect in the chest or lungs. This can cause coughing or breathlessness. If the right ventricle is not pumping the blood properly, the blood can back up outside the heart. Fluid can collect in tissue and the legs can become swollen. The blood may then accumulate in other organs, too. In this way the liver can get damaged, for example.
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