What is a common treatment goal for managing congestive heart failure?

A common treatment goal for managing congestive heart failure is to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. In this condition, the heart is unable to pump blood effectively, leading to fluid buildup and various symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling. The primary focus of treatment is to alleviate these symptoms, which can significantly impact a patient's daily living and overall wellbeing.

This involves a combination of lifestyle changes, medications, and possibly devices or surgical interventions to help the heart function more effectively. By managing symptoms, patients can experience a better quality of life, allowing them to engage in more activities and experience less discomfort.

Treating the underlying heart condition, while important, is often not feasible in cases of chronic heart failure, as the damage may be irreversible. Increasing heart rate is generally not a goal, as doing so could exacerbate the heart's workload. Encouraging weight gain is also not appropriate, as managing fluid retention is crucial, and most heart failure patients may struggle with weight management due to fluid overload.