Heart failure means that the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly. It usually happens because the heart has become too weak or stiff. It's sometimes called congestive heart failure, although this name is not widely used now. Heart failure does not mean your heart has stopped working. It means it needs some support to help it work better. It can occur at any age, but is most common in older people. Heart failure is a long-term condition that tends to get gradually worse over time. It cannot usually be cured, but the symptoms can often be controlled for many years.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of heart failure are:
- breathlessness on exertion
- fatigue
- light-headedness
- swollen ankles and legs
Some people also experience other symptoms, such as a persistent cough, a fast heart rate and dizziness. Symptoms can develop quickly (acute heart failure) or gradually over weeks or months (chronic heart failure).
Causes of heart failure
Heart failure is often the result of a number of problems affecting the heart at the same time.
Conditions that can lead to heart failure include:
- coronary (heart) artery disease
- high blood pressure
- heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)
- heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias)
- structural heart disease
- congenital heart disease
Sometimes obesity, anaemia, drinking too much alcohol, an overactive thyroid or high pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension) can also lead to heart failure.
Treatments for heart failure
Treatment for heart failure usually aims to control the symptoms for as long as possible and slow down the progression of the condition. How you're treated will depend on what is causing your heart failure.
Common treatments include:
- lifestyle changes
- medicine – many people need to take 3 or 4 different types
- pacemaker (cardiac resynchronisation therapy)
Occasional advanced treatment such as heart transplant may need to be considered.
Treatment will usually be needed for life, and a cure may be possible when heart failure has a treatable cause. For example, if your heart valves are damaged, replacing or repairing them may cure the condition.
Outlook for heart failure
Heart failure is a serious long-term condition that will usually continue to get slowly worse over time. It can severely limit the activities you're able to do and is often eventually fatal. But it's very difficult to tell how the condition will progress on an individual basis. It's very unpredictable. Lots of people remain stable for many years, while in some cases it may get worse quickly.