8/11/2021 1:42:37 PM

What is Heart Failure

Heart failure does not mean your heart has stopped working. It just needs some support to help it work better.

It can occur at any age, but is most common in older people.

Heart failure is a long-term condition which cannot usually be cured, but the symptoms can often be controlled for many years.

Heart failure

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

What is heart failure

From the Health and Care Video Library, the UK's largest collection of health and care videos

More about heart failure

Causes of heart failure

There are lots of reasons why you may have heart failure. It can be sudden or it can happen slowly over months or years.

Symptoms

Being aware of the symptoms and stages of heart failure can help you get the best treatment and advice.

Diagnosis and stages

If you have symptoms of heart failure, your GP should offer you some checks and a blood test to see how well your heart is working.

Treatments (medications, procedures and self-care)

Information on treatments available and ways of managing the condition

What support is available?

In this section you will find both local and global support connections to help you manage and understand your condition; for both physical or emotional wellbeing.

Links (these will open in a new window)

Pumping Marvellous

We are the Pumping Marvellous Foundation, the UK’s heart failure patient-led charity.

Aintree Heart Failure Passport app

Educational app, used to provide guidance to patients on Heart Failure (HF). Available on the Play Store.

British Heart Foundation

For further information on coronavirus and how it can affect people with heart conditions please consult the British Heart Foundation website.

The most common causes of heart failure are:

a heart attack– which can cause long-term damage to your heart, affecting how well the heart can pump.
high blood pressure - putting strain on the heart, which over time can lead to heart failure.
cardiomyopathy - a disease of the heart muscle. There are different types which can either be inherited or caused by other things, such as viral infections or pregnancy.

Heart failure can also be caused by:

heart valve disease
abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
congenital heart conditions – heart problems that you’re born with

endocarditis – a viral infection affecting the heart muscle
some cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy
excessive alcohol consumption
anaemia – a lack of oxygen carrying haemoglobin or red blood cells in your blood
thyroid gland disease.

Heart Failure Causes

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

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Published on Thu, 03 Jun 2021 12:11:29 GMT
Modified on Fri, 23 Sep 2022 09:45:28 GMT

The most common symptoms of heart failure are:

Breathlessness – this may occur after activity or at rest; it may be worse when you're lying down, and you may wake up at night needing to catch your breath
Fatigue – you may feel tired most of the time and find exercise exhausting
Swollen ankles and legs – this is caused by a build-up of fluid (oedema); it may be better in the morning and get worse later in the day

Less common symptoms

Other symptoms of heart failure can include:

a persistent cough, which may be worse at night
wheezing
a bloated tummy
loss of appetite
weight gain or weight loss
confusion
dizziness and fainting
a fast heart rate
a pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)

Some people with heart failure may also experience feelings of depression and anxiety.

Videos

Heart Failure Symptoms

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) .

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Published on Thu, 03 Jun 2021 12:16:24 GMT
Modified on Fri, 23 Sep 2022 09:35:26 GMT

If your blood test shows you might have heart failure, your GP should consider referring you to a specialist heart failure team and you may be offered further tests.

Tests for heart failure

Tests you may have to diagnose heart failure include:

blood tests (NT-proBNP) – to check whether there's anything in your blood that might indicate heart failure or another illness
an electrocardiogram (ECG) – this records the electrical activity of your heart to check for problems
an echocardiogram – a type of ultrasound scan where sound waves are used to examine your heart
breathing tests – you may be asked to blow into a tube to check whether a lung problem is contributing to your breathlessness; common tests include spirometry and a peak flow test
a chest X-ray – to check whether your heart's bigger than it should be, whether there's fluid in your lungs (a sign of heart failure), or whether a lung condition could be causing your symptoms

You can read more about tests for heart conditions on the British Heart Foundation website.

Stages of heart failure

When you're diagnosed with heart failure, your doctor will usually be able to tell you what stage it is.

The stage describes how severe your heart failure is.

It's usually given as a class from 1 to 4, with 1 being the least severe and 4 being the most severe:

class 1 – you don't have any symptoms during normal physical activity
class 2 – you're comfortable at rest, but normal physical activity triggers symptoms
class 3 – you're comfortable at rest, but minor physical activity triggers symptoms
class 4 – you're unable to carry out any physical activity without discomfort and may have symptoms even when resting

Knowing the stage of your heart failure will help your doctors decide which treatments they think are best for you.

Useful videos

Heart failure

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Heart Failure Tests

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Getting ready for tests in hospital

From the Health and Care Video Library, the UK's largest collection of health and care videos

Content provided by NHS.uk

Find information and advice on health conditions, symptoms, healthy living, medicines and how to get help.

Published on Fri, 04 Jun 2021 10:16:09 GMT
Modified on Fri, 23 Sep 2022 09:34:08 GMT

Choose from the medications below to find out more details:

Beta-Blockers

Beta-Blockers are drugs that help your heart beat slower and stronger

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Bisoprolol	1.25, 2.5, 3.75, 5, 7.5, 10
Carvediolol Taken AM & PM	3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25
Metoprolol Taken AM & PM	25, 50, 75, 100

Mineralocorticoid Antagonists

Mineralocorticoid antagonists are a "type of water tablets," that counteract the adverse compensatory mechanisms, from worsening your heart failure.

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Spironolactone	12.5, 25, 50
Eplerenone	12.5, 25, 50

SGLT2 inhibitors

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Dapagliflozin	10
Empagliflozin	10

ACE Inhibitors

ACE Inhibitors relax blood vessels, thereby lowering your blood pressure and help the heart pump more effectively.

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Ramipril	1.25, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10
Enalapril	32.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40
Lisinopril	5, 10, 15, 20
Perindopril	2, 4, 8

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB)

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers are alternatives to ACE inhibitors in patients who have side effects to ACE inhibitors.

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Candesartan	4, 8, 12, 16
Valsartan	340, 80, 120, 160, 320
Losartan	25, 50, 75, 100

Diuretics (Water tablets)

Diuretics prevent fluid from building up in the body and lungs by getting rid of extra fluid and sodium in the urine. These medications make you pass urine frequently.

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Frusemide	40, 80, 120, 160
Bumetanide	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Bendroflumethiazide	2.5, 5

Anti-platelets

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Aspirin	75
Clopidogrel	75
Ticagreolor	90

Anticoagulants (Blood thinners)

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Warfarin	As per INR
Apixaban Taken AM & PM	2.5, 5
Edoxaban	60
Rivaroxaban	15, 20
Dabigatran	60, 90

Anti-Hypertensives (blood pressure tablets)

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Amlodipine	5, 10
Felodipine	5
Doxazosin	1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16

Others

Name	Dose (Milligrams)
Hydralazine Taken morning, afternoon and evening	25, 50
Isosorbide Mononitrate Taken once a day	30, 60, 90, 120
Isosorbide Mononitrate Taken twice a day	10, 20, 30, 60

Can I improve my heart failure naturally?

If your doctor prescribes you medication it’s important to take it. But making changes to your lifestyle is also going to have a big impact on improving your health.

Changes may include:

weighing yourself regularly and entering your weight into the Aintree Heart Failure Passport – sudden weight gain may mean too much fluid is building up in your body
watching the amount of fluid you have each day
managing stress and mood monitoring in the Aintree Heart Failure Passport app
controlling your blood pressure
stopping smoking
limiting how much alcohol you drink or stopping altogether safely if advised to do so by your clinician
keeping active (and taking part in rehabilitation if advised to do so) – this can help improve your energy, stamina and fitness
keeping to a healthy weight, which will help to prevent your heart from working too hard.

Diet changes are also essential when managing your weight and keeping your heart healthy.

You could feel healthier by eating:

one or two portions of fruit or veg with every meal
sunflower oil, olive oil, nuts and avocados instead of saturated fat options like crisps and butter
one or two portions of beans or pulses everyday with a meal
your protein in the form of fish, eggs and lean meats
less salt and sugar.

How to manage your heart failure at home

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Living healthy with heart failure

From the Health and Care Video Library, the UK's largest collection of health and care videos

Useful videos:

Medication

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Heart failure other treatments Thumbnail

Other treaments

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Cardiac rehabilitation

Video designed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (Consultant Cardiologist) for the Aintree Heart Failure Passport Mobile APP (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

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From the Health and Care Video Library, the UK's largest collection of health and care videos

Content provided by NHS.uk

Find information and advice on health conditions, symptoms, healthy living, medicines and how to get help.

Published on Mon, 09 Aug 2021 15:28:02 GMT
Modified on Thu, 22 Sep 2022 16:53:16 GMT

Local support

Citizens Advice Bureau Referrals

Advice services available through Citizen Advice Bureau digital and telephone channels.

Talk Liverpool

It is common for your psychological wellbeing to be impacted by Heart Failure. Many people find additional support managing their wellbeing helps them keep well for longer.

Telehealth

Health Technology (or Telehealth) is a way of using technology to monitor your own health, with the support of health professionals.

National support

British Heart Foundation

List of support groups from the British Heart Foundation

Heart Failure Matters

Practical infromation for patients, families and caregivers.

NHS

Advice from the NHS on living with Heart Failure

Cardiomyopathy UK

List of useful organisations from Cardiomyopathy UK

Healthtalk.org

Personal experiences of people using support groups and how they have helped

Pumping Marvellous

Link to the Pumping Marvellous Heart Failure Charity Website.

Useful videos

Tap on the videos below to learn more about Heart Failure. You can find more videos about heart problems in the Health and Care Videos Library

Find information and advice on health conditions, symptoms, healthy living, medicines and how to get help.

Published on Thu, 03 Jun 2021 12:29:47 GMT
Modified on Fri, 23 Sep 2022 10:28:07 GMT

Dr Sankaranarayanan from Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Published on Wed, 11 Aug 2021 12:42:37 GMT
Modified on Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:29:59 GMT

What is Heart Failure