What is Heart Failure?

Heart Failure Symptoms & Causes | Complete Guide

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is incapable of pumping enough blood to fulfil the needs of the body. This leads to a buildup of fluid, later causing essential organs to dysfunction. It is different from the condition under which the heart stops functioning. In this condition, the heart stiffens, failing to circulate oxygen-rich blood.

What are the Types of Heart Failure?

There are three types of heart failure, namely:

• Left-sided Heart Failure: It happens when the left blood-pumping chamber struggles to pump blood across the body, causing fluid buildup and blood in the lungs.
• Right-sided Heart Failure: When the right blood-pumping chamber gets damaged and stops pumping blood, causing blood and fluid to build up in the veins.
• High-output Heart Failure: Inthis condition, the heart tends to pump more blood. However, the organs still do not receive sufficient oxygen and nutrition, leading to clinical symptoms of heart failure.
• Systolic Heart Failure: Reduced ejection fraction (<40%).
• Diastolic Heart Failure: Preserved ejection fraction (stiff heart).

How Common is Heart Failure?

In India, about 1% of the population gets affected by heart failure annually. It translates to about 8 to 10 million people in a year.

What are the Symptoms of Heart Failure?

When the heart is not functioning efficiently, it starts to show specific symptoms such as:

• Shortness of breath
• Waking up panting and feeling breathless
• Chest pain
• Experiencing heart palpitations
• Feeling tired when you are active
• Putting on weight
• Swelling around the legs, ankles, and abdominal region
• Need to urinate in the middle of the night while asleep
• A fully bloated or hard stomach
• Loss of appetite

What Causes Heart Failure?

Here is a list of certain conditions that cause heart failure:

• Coronary artery disease and/or heart attack
• High blood pressure
• Arrhythmia
• A body mass index (BMI) higher than 30
• Tobacco and recreational drug use
• Kidney disease
• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart issues present at birth
• Diabetes
• Alcohol use
• Medications such as cancer drugs

What are the Risk Factors Relating to Heart Failure?

The risk factors that trigger heart failure are as follows:

• Being above the age of 65
• Consuming alcohol, recreational drugs or smoking
• Having a sedentary lifestyle
• Salty and fried food
• Hypertension
• Suffering from coronary artery disease
• Risk of heart attack
• Genetic or family history

What are the complications due to heart failure?

Some complications related to heart failure include:

• Having an irregular heartbeat
• Sudden cardiac death
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage
• Malnutrition
• Heart valve problems
• Fluid is collecting in your lungs.
• Pulmonary hypertension.

How is Heart Failure Diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask you to provide your medical history along with the specific symptoms that you are experiencing. It will help them in the diagnosis process. They might also ask you about:

• Any other health condition
• A history of heart disease or sudden death in the family
• If you use tobacco
• The amount of alcohol you consume
• If you have a history of chemotherapy or any radiation treatment
• Prescription medication

It is a condition that happens due to an unhealthy lifestyle or age. However, making some lifestyle changes can reduce the susceptibility to developing a heart attack.