Symptoms of heart failure
The three most common symptoms of heart failure are:1
- Breathlessness: Due to a build up of blood in the lungs, which hampers the normal flow of oxygen
- Tiredness: Caused by a lack of blood going from your heart to your muscles, as well as your heart having to work harder in order to pump the same amount of blood
- Swollen feet/ankles: Due to a build up of fluid in various parts of the body that doesn’t get removed through normal blood circulation
Because heart failure symptoms are fairly non-specific and could be the result of other medical conditions, tests will usually be conducted to confirm the diagnosis. The most common tests are:
- Blood and urine tests: These check your blood count and whether your liver is working properly 4
- Chest x-ray: This checks whether your heart is enlarged which may indicate that it’s being overworked. This test also checks your lungs for fluid, which could mean your heart is not pumping blood around the body properly4
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): The test uses small metal adhesive disks, or electrodes, that attach to your skin in order to record the electrical impulse your heart produces when it beats. The ECG will show up any abnormalities in the way the heart is beating, which can be the first indicator that one or more parts of the heart is damaged or strained2
- Echocardiogram: This is an ultrasound that tests the pumping action of your heart.4 The test produces a moving picture of the heart via high-frequency sound waves bounced back from the heart to the probe
Severity of heart failure signs and symptoms may vary over time, but if your condition is closely monitored, medication can control symptoms enough to avoid hospitalisation altogether.3
