ehealthyland.com

The symptoms of Heart Failure depend on which side of the heart is affected. The failure can be of two types, systolic and diastolic.The left part of the heart sends blood to the organs from the lungs and when it fails to perform, the result is clogging of the veins of the lungs. The most prevalent symptom is breath shortness and fatigue.The right part of the heart returns the blood from the body tissues to the lungs in order to swap CO2 for oxygen. Therefore, if the right part of the heart gives way, the peripheral tissues become congested. The most prominent symptom is repeated nocturnal urination. Some people may suffer from the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen region and painful swelling of the liver.

Since the signs of Heart failure replicate those of other common physical problems, some examinations are required to corroborate the diagnosis. The most important test in this context is a chest X-ray, an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram. The chest X-ray reveals the enlargement of the heart. The electrocardiogram is implemented to identify any irregular functioning of the heart and the echocardiogram test reveals the working status of the heart valves.

Heart Failure Symptoms:

Heart failure symptoms are traditionally and somewhat arbitrarily divided into “left” and “right” sided, recognizing that the left and right ventricles of the heart supply different portions of the circulation. However, heart failure is not exclusively backward failure (in the part of the circulation which drains to the ventricle).

There are several other exceptions to a simple left-right division of heart failure symptoms. Left sided forward failure overlaps with right sided backward failure. Additionally, the most common cause of right-sided heart failure is left-sided heart failure. The result is that patients commonly present with both sets of signs and symptoms.

Left-sided failure:Backward failure of the left ventricle causes congestion of the pulmonary vasculature, and so the symptoms are predominantly respiratory in nature. Backward failure can be subdivided into failure of the left atrium, the left ventricle or both within the left circuit. The patient will have dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion (dyspnée d’effort) and in severe cases, dyspnea at rest. Increasing breathlessness on lying flat, called orthopnea, occurs. It is often measured in the number of pillows required to lie comfortably, and in severe cases, the patient may resort to sleeping while sitting up. Another symptom of heart failure is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea also known as “cardiac asthma”, a sudden nighttime attack of severe breathlessness, usually several hours after going to sleep. Easy fatigueability and exercise intolerance are also common complaints related to respiratory compromise.

Compromise of left ventricular forward function may result in symptoms of poor systemic circulation such as dizziness, confusion and cool extremities at rest.

Right Sided Failure:Backward failure of the right ventricle leads to congestion of systemic capillaries. This generates excess fluid accumulation in the body. This causes swelling under the skin (termed peripheral edema or anasarca) and usually affects the dependent parts of the body first (causing foot and ankle swelling in people who are standing up, and sacral edema in people who are predominantly lying down). Nocturia (frequent nighttime urination) may occur when fluid from the legs is returned to the bloodstream while lying down at night. In progressively severe cases, ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity causing swelling) and hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver) may develop. Significant liver congestion may result in impaired liver function, and jaundice and even coagulopathy (problems of decreased blood clotting) may occur.

Rapid Weight Gain:The fluid build-up throughout the body, may cause you to gain weight quickly.

Fluid Buildup and Swelling:Because blood flow to the kidneys is restricted, the kidneys produce hormones that lead to salt and water retention. This causes swelling, also called edema, that occurs most often in the feet, ankles and legs.

Mental Confusion or Impaired Thinking:Abnormal levels of certain substances, such as sodium, in the blood and reduced blood flow to the brain can cause memory loss or disorientation, which you may or may not be aware of.

Lack of Appetite or Nausea:When the liver and digestive system become congested they fail to receive a normal supply of blood. This can make you feel nauseous or full, even if you haven’t eaten.

Rapid or Irregular Heartbeat:The heart may speed up to compensate for its failing ability to adequately pump blood throughout the body. Patients may feel a fluttering in the heart (palpitations) or a heartbeat that seems irregular or out of rhythm. This often is described as a pounding or racing sensation in the chest.

Chronic Cough or Wheezing:The fluid buildup in the lungs may result in a persistent cough or wheezing, that may produce phlegm (a thick, mucous-like substance) that may be tinged with blood.

Fatigue:As heart failure becomes more severe, the heart is unable to pump the amount of blood required to meet all of the body’s needs. To compensate, blood is diverted away from less-crucial areas, including the arms and legs, to supply the heart and brain. As a result, people with heart failure often feel weak (especially in their arms and legs), tired and have difficulty performing ordinary activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries.

Breathlessness or Shortness of Breath (Dyspnea):When the heart begins to fail, blood backs up in the veins attempting to carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. As fluid pools in the lungs, it interferes with normal breathing. In turn, you may experience breathlessness during exercise or other activities. As the condition worsens, shortness of breath may occur when at rest or asleep. These periods of breathlessness may leave you feeling exhausted and anxious.

Heart Failure Signs

Left Sided Failure:Common respiratory signs are tachypnea (increased rate of breathing) and increased work of breathing (non-specific signs of respiratory distress). Rales or crackles, heard initially in the lung bases, and when severe, throughout the lung fields suggest the development of pulmonary edema (fluid in the alveoli). Cyanosis which suggests severe hypoxemia, is a late sign of extremely severe pulmonary edema.

Additional signs indicating left ventricular failure include a laterally displaced apex beat (which occurs if the heart is enlarged) and a gallop rhythm (additional heart sounds) may be heard as a marker of increased blood flow, or increased intra-cardiac pressure. Heart murmurs may indicate the presence of valvular heart disease, either as a cause (e.g. aortic stenosis) or as a result (e.g., mitral regurgitation) of the heart failure.

Right Sided Failure:Physical examination can reveal pitting peripheral edema, ascites, and hepatomegaly. Jugular venous pressure is frequently assessed as a marker of fluid status, which can be accentuated by the hepatojugular reflux. If the right ventriclar pressure is increased, a parasternal heave may be present, signifying the compensatory increase in contraction strength.

Biventricular Failure:Dullness of the lung fields to finger percussion and reduced breath sounds at the bases of the lung may suggest the development of a pleural effusion (fluid collection in between the lung and the chest wall). Though it can occur in isolated left- or right-sided heart failure, it is more common in biventricular failure because pleural veins drain both into the systemic and pulmonary venous system. When unilateral, effusions are often right-sided, presumably because of the larger surface area of the right lung.

Heart failure symptoms may appear suddenly, but usually they start gradually and become more severe over time. Often these symptoms especially shortness of breath and fatigue are mistaken for signs of aging or overweight. For this reason, some women may not know they have heart failure for many years. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important not to dismiss them see your doctor to get a checkup.

People with asthma or other lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD) often have shortness of breath that they assume is due to an existing condition. In many cases, heart and lung disease occur together. If you are experiencing shortness of breath more often or more severely than usual, see your doctor. She or he may order tests to determine whether your breathlessness is caused mainly by your heart, your lungs, or both.