Do you have symptoms of heart failure?

Do you have symptoms of heart failure?

Heart failure usually means that heart is not able to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. But another variety is there in which the relaxation of the left ventricle is impaired. Left ventricle is the lower left chamber of the heart which pumps blood to the whole body.

Both varieties of heart failure cause fluid to build up in the lungs which become heavier. This causes shortness of breath of varying severity depending on the rapidness with which heart failure develops. In acute heart failure which develops fast, the person is quite breathless and unable to lie down flat in the bed. In a slowly developing chronic heart failure, it starts as breathless on exertion and gradually progresses. When the heart failure is quite advanced, it will be difficult to make even slight movements without being breathless.

Fatigue and weakness is quite common in heart failure as the heart is unable to pump enough blood for the needs of the body. Just as fluid collects in the lungs, it can also collect in other parts of the body. Lower most part of the body being the ankles and feet, fluid collection is observed first in these locations. Fluid can also collect in the belly area. Weight gain is common is heart failure and monitoring weight regularly at home is useful in assessing the progress. Of course weight can also increase if you eat more and exercise less!

Collection of fluid in the inner layer of the stomach can reduce your appetite and cause a nauseating sensation. You may become less alert due to reduced brain function. But again loss of alertness could also be due to too much pre-occupation with other thoughts! Sometimes cough and wheezing as well as blood tinged sputum could also occur in heart failure. These symptoms could very well occur in lung disease as well.

Some persons, especially the older ones may develop irregularity of heart beats due to an associated abnormal heart rhythm. There could be worsening of other symptoms when irregularity of heart beats occur. Heart rate is usually becomes faster in those with heart failure. Chest pain may occur in heart failure associated with a heart attack. Fainting is a rare manifestation of heart failure which could occur due to an abnormally fast heart rate or poor pumping function. Please don’t forget that there are many common causes for fainting other than heart failure.

Any one or more of these symptoms should lead to a medical evaluation. When the symptoms are progressing rapidly, a visit to the emergency room is ideal for early diagnosis and treatment. All these symptoms can occur in several other conditions which need differentiation by medical assessment and appropriate tests.