About Heart Failure

Heart Failure Symptoms

In the early stages of heart failure, symptoms may not be noticeable. Often people mistakenly overlook signs of fatigue and shortness of breath, dismissing them as temporary illness or simply as signs of growing older. As heart failure progresses, the symptoms often become more obvious. Everyday activities may be affected; going to the grocery store or walking up a flight of stairs can be exhausting. Eventually, it can become difficult to breathe even when relaxing or lying down.

Because of the heart's inability to effectively pump blood to your organs, such as the kidneys, the lungs and the brain, you may experience a number of symptoms, including:

• Shortness of breath (SOB) (dyspnea)
• Lack of energy, fatigue
• Difficulty breathing while lying flat (orthopnea)
• Swelling of the feet, ankles, legs or abdomen (edema, bloating)
• Lack of appetite and nausea
• Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged mucus (productive sputum)
• Confusion, memory loss or disorientation
• Irregular or rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)

Your symptoms will help your physician evaluate whether you have heart failure, determine the severity of your condition and monitor the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment program. For more information about symptoms and the stages of heart failure, click here.