Heart Failure Facts What is it?
Symptoms
Your heart pumps blood to all parts of your body to give each cell the oxygen and nutrients it needs. When the heart is weak, it has a hard time pumping enough blood. This heart weakness is called heart failure, though the name sounds worse than the symptoms feel. Heart failure is different in each person. Most people manage their heart failure with medicines, diet and periods of rest and are able to have a good quality of life.
Treatment overview Your heart failure may be a weak pumping problem, a poor filling problem or some of both. If you have a pumping problem, less blood is pumped out with each heartbeat. If you have a filling problem, your lower heart chambers (ventricles) do not relax enough to allow them to fill with blood from the upper chambers (atria) before a heartbeat. Your doctor will tailor your treatment plan to what’s going on in your heart.
Copyright © 1999-2015 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.
Call your doctor within 8-12 hours if you have these signs of increased heart failure:
• a 3-4 pound weight gain within 1-2 days (or 2 pounds overnight)
• i ncreased shortness of breath
• waking up with a cough or a constant cough
• increased weakness or fatigue
• s welling of your lower limbs or hands
• stomach bloating or pain
Call your doctor right away if any of these occur:
• chest pain or pressure
• a fast heartbeat
• dizziness or fainting
• unusual bleeding or bruising
Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. Bringing Patients & Health Together ®
Atlanta, GA
800-241-4925
Product # 286