Congestive heart failure (patient information)

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How do I know if I have heart failure and what are the symptoms of heart failure?

Early heart failure does not have any symptoms. As the disease developes, people may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Blood and fluid to back up into the lungs
• Edema in the feet, ankles and legs
• Tiredness

Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. A person with any of these symptoms should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

Who is at risk for heart failure?

Certain factors increase your risk of getting heart disease, then increase your risk of getting heart failure. You are at a higher risk if you are:

• A woman age 55 or older
• A man age 45 or older
• Obesity or overweight
• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Heavy drinking
• Diabetes
• Lack of exercise

How to know you have heart failure?

• BNP(Brain natriuretic peptide)/NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide) test: Either BNP or NT-proBNP may be used to help diagnose heart failure and to grade the severity of that heart failure. Foremore, the levels can help doctors differentiate between heart failure and lung diseases.
• Echocardiogram: This is a painless and no risk test for patients. Cardiac echo can demonstrate both structure and function of the heart. It can tell the doctor the left ventricular ejection fraction and help doctor detect the heart function.
• Chest X-ray: The test can creat the picture of the heart and lungs. When heart failure appears, the picture may show largened heart and pulmonary venous pleonaemia.
• Cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): Cardiac MRI can create both still and moving pictures of the heart and major blood vesselsheart. It can help doctors analyse the structure and function of the heart and decide the treatment protocols for the patient.

Where to find medical care for heart failure?

Directions to Hospitals Treating heart failure