Content

• Steps

Heart failure (formerly called congestive heart failure) is a complex disease that occurs when the heart is not functioning properly and is caused by a variety of causes. If heart failure progresses (this is called an exacerbation of the disease), then it appears in the form of some characteristic symptoms. It is very important to recognize these symptoms early, as early diagnosis and proper treatment will greatly increase your chances of recovery and save your life.

Steps

1. 1 Pay attention to your breathing, see if it has become weaker or difficult. Shortness of breath is one of the most common symptoms of heart failure.
   • When the left ventricle of your heart is unable to push blood forward, blood "flows back" through the pulmonary veins (which return blood from the lungs to the heart after oxygen saturation).
   • Because of this, the lung tissue swells, it interferes with the normal functioning of the lungs and causes shortness of breath.
   • Shortness of breath can be expressed in the following forms:
     • Shortness of breath on exertion. At first, shortness of breath occurs only after exercise. This is one of the first symptoms in most people with heart failure. Compare yourself to others your age or the current level of activity and fitness of your body with your level 3-6 months ago and recognize if you have changed your lifestyle due to shortness of breath during exercise.
     • Shortness of breath at rest. If you have more severe heart failure, you may have difficulty breathing, even when doing light activities such as changing clothes, going to the toilet, or even while resting. This level of shortness of breath is a strong warning sign and you should see your doctor immediately as it may indicate advanced heart failure.
2. 2 Observe your shortness of breath, even while you are just lying or sleeping. Shortness of breath while you are lying or sleeping is perhaps the strongest indicator of heart failure, and also a sign that you need to see a doctor immediately.
   • You are uncomfortable sleeping on your back, lying on a flat surface, and you try to use an extra pillow to raise your upper body higher and reduce pain during sleep.
   • In some cases, your family members may notice your shortness of breath during sleep, which is the most specific symptom of heart failure.
   • You may notice yourself suddenly waking up from sleep with the feeling that you are suffocating.
   • These sensations are so intense that in order to cope with them, you have to sit or open a window to breathe fresh air.
   • This usually happens at the same time, 1-2 hours after you fall asleep.
   • Symptoms last 15-30 minutes if you are upright.
3. 3 Pay attention to persistent coughing or wheezing. A cough and wheezing that is not associated with a cold or flu may indicate worsening heart failure.
   • When coughing, white or pink sputum appears, and shortness of breath when coughing is also a characteristic feature of heart failure.
   • Your cough may get worse when you sleep at night.
   • You may also have wheezing sounds when you breathe, called wheezing.
   • These wheezing sounds when breathing occurs when fluid builds up in the lungs and narrows the airways.
4. 4 Pay attention if your body or body parts are swollen and recognize swelling. Edema, the accumulation of excess fluid in body tissues, is a characteristic symptom of heart failure.
   • Edema occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood forward, causing blood to roll back through the veins (veins that carry blood from the entire body to the right side of the heart).
   • Blood seeps into the tissues and causes swelling, which can be seen as:
     • Swelling in the feet, ankles, and legs. Initially, you may find that your shoes are too small for you. Later, visible swelling of the feet, ankles and lower legs develops.
     • Bloating. You may feel that your pants are getting tight for you.
     • General edema.
     • Weight gain. Weight gain is a very important symptom, especially if you are already under medical supervision for heart failure.
5. 5 Pay attention if you are very tired during exercise or are unable to exercise. In some cases, heart failure is not accompanied by stagnation of blood flow, but is associated with a weak intensity of blood flow, which may be accompanied by increased fatigue and a feeling of physical weakness.
   • Weak heart performance means that your heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the needs of your entire body.
   • To compensate for this, your body reduces the amount of blood flowing to less important organs, including the muscles in the limbs, and directs it to vital organs such as the heart and brain. # * This leads to severe exhaustion and a feeling of constant fatigue, which makes it difficult to carry out daily activities. You find that you find it difficult to carry out daily work, climb stairs, carry purchases from the store, walk and play sports.
6. 6 Look for gut changes or digestive problems. In heart failure, the body restricts blood supply to the stomach and intestines to ensure sufficient blood flow to the heart and brain.
   • This can lead to problems with the digestive system, manifested in the form of a lack of appetite, feelings of fast fullness or nausea.
   • You may also feel discomfort and pain in the upper right abdomen due to the heavy load on the liver.
7. 7 Pay attention to distraction or memory loss. Heart failure can also cause some neurological symptoms due to abnormal blood concentrations of certain substances, especially sodium.
   • These symptoms include confusion, impairment of short-term memory, and disorientation.
   • As a rule, relatives or friends pay attention to these symptoms because the patient himself is too disoriented to recognize these changes.
8. 8 Pay attention to the heartbeat. A strong increase in heart rate is called tachycardia and can be a symptom of heart failure.
   • As a rule, tachycardia in heart failure is expressed in an increase in the heart rate, you feel the heart begin to pound in your chest.
   • This is due to the fact that the heart is no longer able to pump the required volume of blood, and the body tries to compensate for this, forcing the heart to beat faster.
9. 9 See your doctor if you notice these symptoms. If you notice any of the above symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention.
   • Whether you start treating heart failure early or late will determine whether you stay alive and the length of time you live.
   • If you do not see a doctor as soon as possible, then you may develop serious complications that disrupt the functioning of internal organs, the brain and the whole body as a whole. You may even die.