Symptoms Congestive Heart Failure is Worsening

Heart failure is a very common condition that affects 5 million people in the United States. It is the cause of 300,000 deaths each year. It is characterized by the heart's inability to pump oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. As the heart weakens, the symptoms become more appearant

Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure

• Shortness of breath


• Fatigue


• Edema, or swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, and/or abdomen.


• Increased fatique

Signs that congestive heart failure is worsening include:

• Weight gain


• Frequent urination


• Coughing


• Fluid in the lungs

Fluid in the lungs: A sign of very severe and worsening congestive heart failure, and needs emergency medical treatment.

It is imperative to be aware of signs that heart failure is getting worse. Daily weights alert your doctor to sudden weight gain or weight loss. Either one can signal a need to adjust your treatment. Your doctor may need to advise you of limitations on your fluid intake to prevent fluid overload of your heart.

It's also important to get medical care for other related conditions. If you have diabetes and/or high blood pressure, have your blood sugar level and blood pressure checked regularly.

Medical Procedures and Surgery:

As heart failure worsens, lifestyle changes and medicines may no longer control heart failure symptoms. You may need a medical procedure or surgery.

Procedures may include:

• Cardiac resynchronization therapy. Doctors may implant a type of pacemaker near your heart,that helps both sides of the heart contract at the same time, thereby decreasing heart failure symptoms.


• An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The device checks your heart rate and corrects heart rhythms that are too fast.

People who have heart failure symptoms at rest despite other treatments may require:

• A mechanical heart pump: Helps pump blood from the heart to the rest of the body.


• Heart transplant: When all other treatments fail to control symptoms, some people who have heart failure receive healthy hearts from deceased donors.


• Experimental treatments: Studies are under way to see whether open-heart surgery or angioplasty (a procedure used to unblock heart arteries and improve blood flow) can reduce heart failure symptoms.

People with heart failure often can be treated in a research study. You get top care from heart failure experts and the chance to help advance heart failure knowledge and care.

You also may want to think about taking part in a heart failure registry, which tracks the course of disease and treatment in large numbers of people.

Steps you can take to stop heart failure from getting worse

Certain factors can cause your heart failure to worsen. These include:

1. Forgetting to take your medicines


2. Not following your diet (such as eating salty foods)


3. Drinking alcohol

These factors can lead to a trip to the hospital. If you have trouble following your diet, your doctor can arrange for an appointment with a dietitian to work with you. Do not drink alcohol.

People with heart failure often have other serious conditions requiring ongoing treatment. If so, they will most likely take medicines for them in combination with medications for heart failure. Taking multiple medicines raises side effect risks. Make sure your pharmacist has a complete list of all of the medicines and over-the-counter products that you currently take.

Tell your physician immediately about any problems with your medicines. Also, talk with your doctor before taking any new medicine another doctor prescribes or any new over-the-counter medicines or herbal supplements. Ask your doctor or nurse about getting flu and pneumonia vaccines.

Dealing with heart failure and making lifestyle changes to decrease symptoms can be difficult. Feelings of depression may appear. If so, your doctor can prescribe depression medications that can improve your outlook and help you enjoy life more.