Millions of individuals throughout the world have heart failure, which is a very serious condition. It happens when the heart can’t pump blood fast enough to meet the body’s needs. This means that the organs and tissues don’t obtain the oxygen and nutrients they need to work effectively. A lot of people ignore the early signs of heart failure because they think they are just tired, stressed, or “getting older.” But if you ignore these signals, the illness might get worse without you knowing it. In advanced stages, it can cause serious problems, hospitalizations, and even sudden cardiac arrest.
As a cardiologist, I’ve seen patients put off getting care because they thought their shortness of breath was only because they weren’t fit or that their swollen legs were “just water retention.” Sadly, these little changes can be the body’s first indicators that the heart isn’t working well.
What Exactly Is Heart Failure?
Heart failure doesn’t mean that the heart has ceased working totally, even though the name could make you think such. It is instead a gradual weakening or stiffness of the cardiac muscle. As time goes on, the heart gets worse at pumping blood, which makes it difficult for the body to work properly.
The condition can involve:
- Left-sided heart failure – This is the form that happens most often. It happens when the left ventricle, which is the major pumping chamber, can’t push enough blood into the body. Because of this, blood backs up into the lungs, which makes fluid build up and makes it hard to breathe.
- Right-sided heart failure – This happens when the right ventricle can’t pump blood to the lungs well enough. It is often a result of left-sided failure. This causes fluid to build up in the legs, ankles, stomach, and sometimes even the liver.
If you don’t manage heart failure, the symptoms might make it hard to do everyday things like walking up stairs, carrying groceries, or even lying down to sleep.
Recognizing the Symptoms Early
It’s important to find out early because treatment works much better in the beginning. Symptoms of heart failure might get worse over time or show up suddenly after a heart event, like a heart attack. Common symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath during activity or even while resting. Some people notice they need to sleep propped up on pillows to breathe comfortably.
- Fatigue and weakness that make routine tasks exhausting.
- Swelling (edema) in the legs, ankles, feet, or abdomen due to fluid buildup.
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat that can feel like palpitations or fluttering.
- Persistent cough or wheezing, sometimes with pink or blood-tinged mucus.
It’s crucial to remember that these signs could be confused with other diseases including asthma, anaemia, or just becoming older. If you notice these symptoms, you should see a cardiologist right away for a full evaluation.
What Causes Heart Failure?
Heart failure can develop from a variety of conditions that gradually weaken or damage the heart.
- Coronary artery disease – When the arteries narrow, less blood flows to the heart muscle, which means it doesn’t get enough oxygen.
- High blood pressure (hypertension) – Over time, it makes the heart work harder, which makes the heart muscle thicker and weaker.
- Previous heart attacks – Leave scarred areas that no longer contract effectively.
- Damaged heart valves – Disrupt normal blood flow, putting extra strain on the heart.
- Cardiomyopathy – A heart muscle disorder that can be passed down through families, caused by a virus, or linked to poisons like alcohol.
- Certain infections or irregular heart rhythms – Can weaken the heart suddenly or gradually.
In many cases, heart failure is caused by more than one of these things working together. Finding out what caused the problem is the first step in formulating the correct treatment strategy.
Who Is at Higher Risk?
As people get older, their risks of getting heart failure go up, especially for those over 60. People with uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure are at a much higher risk since these illnesses put a lot of stress on the heart all the time. Lifestyle choices are also important. Smoking and drinking too much alcohol can hurt the heart muscle over time.
Family history is also very important. If close family members have had heart failure or other cardiac diseases, your personal risk goes up. That’s why people with more than one risk factor should be extra careful about getting regular check-ups and screenings.
Prevention and Lifestyle Management
Some risk factors, like age and heredity, can’t be modified, but many others can. Making little changes to your lifestyle on a regular basis is typically the key to stopping or delaying heart failure. These include:
- Managing blood pressure – Keeping hypertension under control significantly reduces strain on the heart.
- Adopting a heart-healthy diet – Reduce salt and processed foods, and follow dietary approaches such as the DASH diet or Mediterranean diet.
- Staying active – Engage in 30 minutes of moderate activity most days, like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
- Maintaining a healthy weight – Excess weight forces the heart to work harder.
- Limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking – Both directly damage heart function.
- Reducing stress – Practices like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can benefit heart health.
These lifestyle changes not only help prevent heart failure but also slow its progression in those already diagnosed.
Our Commitment to Your Heart Health
Pune Heart Failure Clinic, led by Dr. Rituparna Shinde, focuses on finding and treating heart failure signs as soon as possible. We can find alterations in heart function early with modern diagnostic technologies, including echocardiography, stress testing, and cardiac biomarkers. Each patient gets a care plan that is tailored to them. It may include drugs, lifestyle coaching, and monthly checkups.
We want to do more than just treat heart failure; we want to help our patients live full, active lives with as few restrictions as possible. Education is a big element of what we do because we think that when patients know more about their disease, they can take better care of themselves.
Looking Ahead to a Healthier Heart
Heart failure is a serious/major ailment, but if you catch it early, you can manage it. Being aware of heart failure signs, including shortness of breath, tiredness, swelling, or palpitations, can save your life. Don’t just brush off small changes in your stamina or breathing as “normal ageing.” Get checked out by a doctor right away.
Your heart works hard for you every day. Taking care of it is the finest thing you can do for your health in the future.