What are the warning signs of a heart failure?

Watch out for these symptoms. It could be a heart failure, warns Dr C N Manjunath

As per a recent research published by the global medical journal Lancet, the total number of deaths due to heart diseases in India increased to 28% in 2016, from 15% in 1991. Heart failure is the leading cause of mortality amongst the heart diseases, with 23% patients succumbing within one year of their diagnosis.

Heart failure can be termed as a silent killer. It is a progressive, debilitating and potentially life-threatening condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs of oxygen and nutrients, due to the weakening or stiffening of the heart muscle over time. The symptoms of heart failure might often be confused with signs of old age. This can lead to delayed diagnosis and the patient might reach the doctor at an advanced stage of the disease. Therefore, it is important to keep a close track of symptoms like:

Shortness of breath

Heart failure can lead to fluid retention in the body, which also gathers in the lungs. This can make one feel short of breath, even while performing everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, bathing etc. Shortness of breath should not be confused as a sign of only a respiratory disease.

Elevated pillows to breathe

Most people will consider the need for multiple pillows, simply as a routine habit to feel more comfortable while sleeping or lying down. However, if one feels short of breath while lying down and multiple pillows help improve breathing and reduce discomfort, one should consult a doctor.

Swelling in the ankles, legs
Due to the fluid build-up in the legs, ankles or abdomen, one might feel that their shoes and clothes have become tighter owing to the swelling. This is one of the key symptoms of heart failure. Diabetics should be extra careful and not confuse the swelling in ankles or legs to be due to diabetes.

Sudden weight gain

Heart failure may lead to sudden weight gain of more than two kilograms in one week because of the fluid build-up in the body. Therefore, sudden weight gain should not be brushed aside as routine weight fluctuation.

Constant fatigue

Because the heart muscle becomes weak in patients with a weak heart, it is unable to properly pump blood, which in turn reduces the amount of oxygen circulating in the body. This can lead to constant tiredness and fatigue while performing routine activities. Tiredness should not be ignored simply as a sign of old age.

In patients suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes or hypertension, heart failure symptoms get subdued owing to the ongoing treatment for those diseases.

In such cases, patients do not complain or present with any symptoms but can be suffering from heart failure. Therefore, it is imperative for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension etc. to get themselves screened regularly.

(The author is director, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences & Research)