Recognizing signs and symptoms of heart failure
The symptoms of Heart Failure are often confused with signs of aging. But the real cause of most Heart Failure symptoms is fluid build-up and reduced blood flow
Shortness of breath with everyday activities
Heart failure can cause the fluid in your body to gather in your lungs which may cause you to feel short of breath during everyday activities such as walking or climbing stairs.
Swelling in legs, feet and ankles
Clothes or shoes might feel tighter as fluid in the body builds up in the legs, ankles or abdomen causing them to swell up.
Loss of appetite
A build-up of fluid around the gut can affect digestion and might cause a loss of appetite, or make you feel sick when eating.
Trouble sleeping when you lie flat
Lying flat may also make you feel short of breath so that you need to sleep sat up or with multiple pillows.
Rapid weight gain
Worsening heart failure may cause an increase in weight of more than two kilograms (about six pounds) in one week because fluid builds up in your body.
Feeling tired
Heart failure means less oxygen-rich blood is circulating the body. Because your muscles and tissues need oxygen for energy, this means people with heart failure can feel tired very easily.
Rapid heartbeat
The heart sometimes starts to speed up to compensate for its reduced ability to pump blood around the body.
Frequency of urination
A reduced amount of blood reaches your kidneys when you have heart failure, causing you to urinate less frequently.
Conversely, if you take diuretics (eg. water pills), you might urinate more frequently, when the excess fluid in your body is eliminated.
