Heart Failure

What causes heart failure?

• Heart attack or angina
• High blood pressure
• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart valve problems
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Virus infection in the heart
• Thyroid disease.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms can vary depending on how weak your heart is. First, you may become less able to cope physically. Climbing stairs or walking may leave you tired, weak and s ort of breath. Shortness of breath, especially when lying down flat, is caused by a build-up of fluid in the lungs (called pulmonary oedema), which makes it harder for the lungs to transfer oxygen to the blood.

Oedema (fluid build-up) may also cause swelling of the feet, legs and abdomen and rapid weight gain due to less blood reaching the kidneys, which prevents them from disposing of salt and water as they would normally.

Other symptoms include a dry, hacking cough (most often when lying down) and loss of appetite or nausea. You may also notice a rapid pulse rate.

How is heart failure diagnosed?

Your doctor may order tests to determine the cause and severity of your heart failure.

These include:

• Blood tests
• Chest X-ray. Chest X-ray shows the size of your heart and whether there is fluid build-up around the heart and lungs
• Echocardiogram. This test shows the heart's movement
• Electrocardiogram (ECG). ECG records the electrical impulses traveling through the heart
• Cardiac catheterisation. This test is done under X ray conditions
• Coronary angiography
• Stress Test. This test performed under close supervision requires you to exercise whilst being monitored to see how well your heart copes under pressure.

How is heart failure treated?

If you have heart failure, your doctor will monitor you closely. You will have follow up appointments at least every 3 to 6 months and tests to check your heart function. For example, an ultrasound of your heart (echocardiogram) will be done once in awhile to see how well your heart pumps blood with each beat.

You will need to carefully monitor yourself and help manage your condition.