What is Heart Failure ?

Heart failure is a condition where the heart is unable to pump blood around the body as well as it should. In other words, the heart can’t deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to allow the body to work normally.

Heart failure is characterized by several symptoms caused by fluid accumulation and reduced blood flow. The most common symptoms are edema (fluid retention), breathlessness, and tiredness.²

Normal heart

Heart failure usually results in an enlarged heart

What is heart rate ?

It is the number of times the heart beats within a certain time period, usually a minute.

The heart rate can be felt at the wrist, side of the neck, back of the knees, top of the foot, groin, and other places in the body where an artery is close to the skin. Measuring the heart rate gives important information about a person’s health. Also called pulse.”³

60-100 bpm is the normal beat a heart should beat at.

It can go up to 130-150 bpm when exercising. However, if you develop any symptoms or suspect your pulse is irregular, let your doctor know.⁴

What can be the complication of heart failure? ⁶

If you have heart failure, your outlook depends on the cause and the severity, your overall health, and other factors such as your age.⁷

• Irregular heartbeats
• Leaking heart valves
• Sudden cardiac arrest
• Pulmonary hypertension⁶
• Fluid buildup in or around your lungs⁶
• Liver and kidney damage: due to reduced blood flow and fluid buildup in your organs⁶
• Malnutrition: because nausea and swelling in your abdomen (area around your stomach) can make it uncomfortable for you to eat⁶

Some people’s symptoms and heart function will improve with proper treatment. However, heart failure can be life-threatening.⁶

Why get checked?

Is heart failure a common disease?

Heart failure is a real public health problem: it is important to be diagnosed by a doctor!

There are several physiological criteria that you can monitor such as:

• Weight
• Blood pressure
• Heart rate
• Physical activity
• Diet

Main risk factors ¹⁴

What do I need to pay attention to?

High Blood Pressure

Your heart works harder than it has to if your blood pressure is high, and it can damage your blood vessels.

Diabetes

Having diabetes means your blood sugar is high. High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels.

Obesity

People who are obese have a higher risk of developing heart failure since being overweight increases your risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure.

Coronary Artery Disease

Narrowed arteries may limit your heart’s supply of oxygen-rich blood, resulting in weakened heart muscle.

Certain medications

Some medications may lead to heart failure or heart problems. Discuss with your doctor whether you need to make any changes in your medications.

Alcohol/Tobacco

Drinking too much alcohol and using tobacco can weaken heart muscle and lead to heart failure.

Irregular Heartbeats

These abnormal rhythms, especially if they are very frequent and fast, can weaken the heart muscle and cause heart failure.

How do I measure my heart rate at home? ¹⁵

Most of the time, it is your doctor or another health care professional who will measure your heart rate, but you can also monitor your heart rate by yourself, by “taking your pulse” in your wrist or neck.

1. Rest at least 5 minutes
2. If you want to find your pulse in your wrist, hold your left or right palm facing upwards and with the other hand, place your index and middle fingers (not the thumb) on the inside of your wrist, just below the base of your thumb. If you want to find your pulse in your neck, place your index and middle fingers (not the thumb) to the side of your neck, just below your jawbone and beside your windpipe.¹⁵
3. Press your fingers: you should feel a throbbing, this is your pulse. If you can’t find it, try moving your two fingers around a bit and pressing a little harder.
4. Using a clock, or counting in your head, count the number of beats for 30 seconds and multiply by two to get your heart rate.

-> Don’t hesitate to talk with your doctor about how to measure your heart rate, how often, and how to interpret your results.

What you may report symptoms¹⁶

• Dyspnea (breathlessness)
• Fatigue
• Persistent coughing or wheezing

• Swelling of the feet, ankles, legs or abdomen
• Weight gain or weight loss

• Fatigue
• Decreased exercise tolerance

What your doctor identifies ? Signs¹⁶

• Tachypnea (rapid breathing)
• Pulmonary rales
• Pleural effusion

• Edema or weight gain
• Hepatomegaly
• Raised jugular venous pressure

• Low blood pressure
• Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)

Identifying risk factors and comorbidities is also very important (see more details in What do I need to pay attention to?)

There are a number of different tests to perform to confirm the diagnosis of heart failure, such as chest X-rays, ECG (electrocardiogram), and laboratory tests, such as brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels.¹⁷

Signs that should alert you

What should I do if I think my heart failure is getting worse and I have increasing symptoms?

If, for example, you feel that your breathing is getting gradually worse or you notice progressive weight gain, then you should contact your doctor or nurse and ask for an appointment as soon as possible.

Call for immediate help if you experience:

• Persistent chest pain that is not relieved by nitroglycerin
• Severe and persistent shortness of breath
• Fainting

Inform your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you experience:

• Increasing shortness of breath and tolerating less and less activity
• Consistently awakening short of breath
• Needing more pillows to sleep comfortably
• Rapid heart rate or worsening palpitations

Discuss with your doctor or nurse if you experience:

• Rapid weight gain of more than 2 kg (3 lbs) in 3 days
• Progressive swelling or pain in the abdomen
• Increasing swelling of the legs or ankles
• Worsening dizziness
• Loss of appetite/nausea
• Increasing fatigue
• Worsening cough

Taking control ?

For more information or to report an adverse event contact Servier Medical Information TW number +886 (2)2568 1380

Material prepared june 2024.