Managing Your Heart Failure
What is heart failure?
The term "heart failure" means that your heart does not pump your blood as well as it should. Since your blood carries oxygen, your body may not get all of the oxygen it needs.
What causes heart failure?
Heart failure has many different causes. Sometimes the exact cause can't be found. The most common causes of heart failure are listed below:
- Coronary artery disease (narrowing of the blood vessels to the heart). Often people with heart failure have had a heart attack in the past.
- Problems with the heart muscle itself (known as cardiomyopathy)
- High blood pressure (also known as hypertension)
- Problems with any of the heart valves
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Toxic substances (such as alcohol abuse)
What are the symptoms of heart failure?
Some people with heart failure have few problems or symptoms. The following is a list of problems that people with heart failure might have:
- Shortness of breath (perhaps when walking or climbing stairs)
- Shortness of breath when lying down flat in bed
- Waking up in the night, suddenly breathless
- General tiredness or weakness
- Swelling of the legs (usually, just the feet or ankles)
Will I need to have any special tests to see if I have heart failure?
Your doctor might order the tests listed below:
- Blood tests
- Urine tests
- Chest x-ray
- Electrocardiogram (also called EKG or ECG)
- Echocardiogram An echocardiogram is a test that causes no pain. A probe is moved across the surface of your chest. It sends out sound waves that allow your doctor to get pictures of your heart. The pictures show your doctor how well your heart is pumping.