By far the most common cause of systolic heart failure is
coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD can cause systolic
heart failure by causing injury to the heart muscle because of poor blood flow
in the coronary arteries or by causing the death of various areas of the heart
muscle because of prior heart attacks.
Causes of systolic heart failure Cause | What is it? | How it causes heart failure | Risk factors |
|---|
| Coronary artery disease (CAD) | Blockages in your coronary arteries that limit blood
flow to your heart muscle | Weakens or damages heart muscle; impairs muscle's
ability to pump | - Smoking
- High blood
pressure
- High
cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Family history
of CAD
- Male
- Older age
|
| Cardiomyopathy | A disease of the heart muscle | Heart muscle is weakened, which affects its ability
to pump properly | - Alcoholism
- Cocaine
usage
- Infectious diseases
- Inherited forms
- Vitamin-poor diet
- Exposure to chemical toxins
|
| High blood pressure (hypertension) | Elevated pressure in your arteries | The heart works harder to pump against increased
pressure, which weakens the muscle. | - Inherited forms of
hypertension
- High salt intake
- Excess alcohol intake
- Smoking
|
| Aortic stenosis | Opening of aortic valve is narrowed, impairing blood
flow | The heart works harder to pump blood through the
narrowed valve, weakening the muscle. | - Older age
- History of
rheumatic fever
- Congenital bicuspid aortic valve
|
| Mitral regurgitation | Mitral valve doesn't close properly, causing leakage
on left side of the heart | Increased blood volume stretches and weakens heart
muscle. | - Coronary artery disease
-
Mitral valve prolapse
- Rheumatic fever
- Infection in the
heart
|
| Viral myocarditis | Viral infection of your heart muscle | Inflammation in the heart muscle affects the heart's
ability to pump. | - Exposure to certain viruses
|
| Arrhythmia | Irregular heart rhythm | Irregular rhythm reduces the pumping effectiveness
of the heart. | - CAD
- Inherited
predisposition
- Cocaine use
- High thyroid
function
- Abnormal electrolyte levels
|
