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Home » High-Output Heart Failure

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High-Output Heart Failure was not created by the University
Topic Overview
Topic Overview of Michigan Health System
(UMHS) and may not necessarily
Related Information
High-output heart failure happens when the body's need for blood is unusually high, so reflect specific UMHS practices.
heart failure symptoms happen even though the heart is working well. For medical advice relating to your
Credits
This type of heart failure happens to a very small number of people with heart failure.
personal condition, please consult
your doctor. Complete disclaimer
What happens to the heart?
High-output heart failure occurs when the normally functioning heart cannot keep up with
an unusually high demand for blood to one or more organs in the body. The heart may be
working well otherwise, but it cannot pump out enough blood to keep up with this extra
need.

What causes it?

There are a variety of conditions that can significantly increase the body's need for blood
and oxygen, resulting in high-output heart failure. These conditions include anemia,
hyperthyroidism, and pregnancy. Although the causes of high-output heart failure are
different from the cause of other types of heart failure, the end result is the same: Your
heart isn't supplying enough blood to meet your body's needs. High-output heart failure
results in the same symptoms of heart failure, including fatigue and shortness of breath.

Causes of high-output heart failure

Cause What is it? How does it cause high-output heart

failure?

Severe anemia Blood contains too few Requires the heart to pump more blood
oxygen-carrying red blood each minute to deliver enough oxygen to
cells. the tissues of the body

Hyperthyroidism Thyroid gland produces too Increases the body's overall metabolism,
much thyroid hormone. thus increasing the demand for blood
flow

Arteriovenous An abnormal connection Short-circuits the circulation and forces

fistula between an artery and a vein the heart to pump more blood overall to
deliver the usual amount of blood to the
vital organs

Beriberi Deficiency of thiamine (vitamin Leads to increased metabolic demand

B1) and increased need for blood flow

Paget's disease Abnormal breakdown and Increased number of blood vessels

regrowth of bones, which requires increased cardiac output.
develop an excessive amount
of blood vessels

Related Information »

Current as of: August 31, 2020

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Rakesh K. Pai MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology & Martin J. Gabica MD -
Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Stephen Fort MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional
Cardiology

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