Heart Failure
A weakened or stiff heart that cannot pump enough for the body's needs — treatable, and far better managed early than late.
What it is
Heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped — it means the pumping function is reduced or the heart has become too stiff to fill properly. Common causes include previous heart attacks, long-standing high blood pressure, valve disease, and cardiomyopathies.
Symptoms
Breathlessness on effort or when lying flat, swelling of the feet and ankles, rapid weight gain from fluid, night-time cough, and tiredness. Symptoms often creep up gradually and get attributed to age — which is why they deserve evaluation, not adjustment.
Diagnosis and treatment
Echocardiography is the cornerstone, supported by ECG, blood tests (including BNP), and rhythm monitoring. Modern heart-failure medication substantially improves both symptoms and survival when properly optimized — that optimization is the core of structured heart-failure care. Selected patients additionally benefit from device therapy: CRT to resynchronize the heart's pumping, or an ICD to protect against dangerous rhythms.
Not sure if these symptoms matter?
A consultation answers that with an exam and the right tests — not guesswork.