What Is Heart Failure and How Do I Know If I Have It?

Sounds scary, doesn't it?  "Heart failure." 

Sorta reminds me of "cardiac arrest."  You know that's no good: the heart just suddenly stops pumping blood! 

Maybe that's why I tend to use an alternate term for heart failure: congestive heart failure, or CHF.

[Have you noticed how much doctors love abbreviations?]

What Is Heart Failure?

The heart is essentially a hollow muscle that pumps blood: about 5 quarts a minute at rest, much more during exercise.  In heart failure, something has happened to the heart that reduces its pumping efficiency.  It can't pump as much or as well as it should.

Why Should I Care?

In 2007, the American Heart Association estimated that 5.2 million in the U.S. had heart failure.  For perspective, the U.S. population is about 300 million.  The older you get, the more likely you will develop heart failure.  Among 50 to 59 year-olds, 8 out of a 1,000 have it.  In 80 to 89 year-olds, 66 of a 1,000 are affected.  At age 40, lifetime risk of developing heart failure is one in five, whether male or female.

Five years after a diagnosis of heart failure, 50% of those so diagnosed have died.  And this is with treatment.  So heart failure is a serious marker of diminished lifespan. Physicians are convinced we can prolong life with earlier diagnosis and prevention. 

OK, You Got My Attention.  How Can I Tell If I Have Heart Failure?

The following symptoms and signs suggest heart failure:  weakness, lightheadedness, easy fatigue, racing heart, dizziness, chest heaviness, shortness of breath (especially with exertion or lying down flat), blue-grey fingernail beds (cyanosis), skin that is cool/pale/clammy, swollen legs, swollen abdomen, weight gain, and lung congestion.  Someone with heart failure could have one, two, or all of these problems.  You could have no signs or symptoms, especially if you're sedentary.

Of course, about a million other medical problems can also cause these abnormalities.  (You know what's coming next, right?)  See your personal physician if you have any bothersome symptoms or physical abnormalities.  She's in the best position to establish a correct diagnosis and treatment plan. 

How Do I Avoid Heart Failure?

Please see my next blog post.

-Steve Parker, M.D.

Disclaimer:  All matters regarding your health require supervision by a personal physician or other appropriate health professional familiar with your current health status.  Always consult your personal physician before making any dietary or exercise changes.