Heart failure affects approximately 5.7 million Americans, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and usually begins in the left ventricle. The left ventricle, which is the lower chamber of the heart, supplies most of the body with oxygenated blood. Left ventricular heart failure occurs when the ventricle doesn't contract well or doesn't fill with enough blood between heartbeats. Fatigue, shortness of breath and fluid retention may occur as a result. Left ventricular heart failure has many causes.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease, which is the accumulation of plaque in the blood vessels that supply the heart with oxygenated blood, is the most common cause of heart failure, the Mayo Clinic states. Blood flows sluggishly through the narrowed blood vessels, depriving part of the heart muscle of oxygenated blood and weakening them. The damaged muscles don't pump as forcefully as normal muscles, and left ventricular heart failure results.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, narrows the arteries in the body, so that the heart has to pump harder to move blood through them. The extra force required to push blood through the constricted arteries thickens the left ventricle, which may become stiff and weak, making it difficult for the left ventricle to pump blood to they body effectively.
Valve Abnormalities
Valves control the flow of blood through and out of the heart. The largest valve in the body, the aortic valve, controls blood flow from the left ventricle to the rest of the body. When the aortic valve is abnormally narrowed---a condition known as aortic stenosis---blood backs up into the left ventricle, causing the ventricle to thicken as it tries to pump more forcefully. Abnormalities of other valves within the heart, such as the mitral valve, can also lead to left-sided heart failure.
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy---damage to the heart muscle that can lead to left ventricular heart failure---occurs for many reasons. Infections, viruses, drug and alcohol use, chemotherapy, and systemic diseases such as lupus erythematosis and diabetes all can cause cardiomyopathy. High blood pressure, pregnancy, abnormalities with the valves in the heart and heart arrhythmias can also lead to cardiomyopathy.
Arrhythmias
An arrhythmia is a medical term that refers to any abnormal change in heart rate. When the heart beats too fast, it puts strain on the muscles, which weakens them over time. A heart that beats too slowly delivers too little blood to the body and can also lead to left-sided heart failure.
