Understanding Heart Failure: Information & Support
Heart failure is a chronic condition that affects daily life, long-term care, and financial stability for many individuals and families. Defined as when your heart is no longer effectively pumping enough blood for the body’s needs, it can happen if the heart cannot fill up with enough blood, or if it is too weak to pump properly.
The Prevalence
Heart failure affects about 6 million adults in the United States, and prevalence is projected to rise by approximately 46% by 2030, which accounts for roughly 1 in every 33 individuals.
Related to age, heart failure is primarily a disease of older adults, with prevalence increasing from about 1% at ages 45–55 to more than 10% in people over 80 years. However, a worrying rise in heart failure prevalence and disability among people roughly 25–40 years old suggests newer generations are developing heart failure earlier.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
The most common symptoms that appear for heart failure include:
- Shortness of breath with activity, when lying flat, or waking suddenly at night gasping for air.
- Persistent cough or wheeze, often worse when lying down
- Swelling (edema) in feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen and rapid weight gain from fluid buildup.
- Unusual fatigue, weakness, reduced ability to exercise, and feeling easily exhausted with routine tasks.
- Loss of appetite, nausea, bloating, and a feeling of fullness due to fluid congestion in the abdomen.
- Fast or irregular heartbeat and sometimes lightheadedness or confusion from reduced blood flow.
Diagnosing heart failure involves a comprehensive assessment, starting with a review of medical history and a physical exam to check for symptoms like fatigue, swelling, or shortness of breath.
Key diagnostic tests include a echocardiogram to measure heart function, blood tests, an electrocardiogram (ECG), and a chest X-ray.
Early diagnosis is crucial, and the ability to act quickly on diagnostic steps help determine the stage and type of heart failure to guide treatment.
Treatment and Prevention
Treatment for heart failure focuses on relieving symptoms, helping the heart work more efficiently, and preventing hospitalizations and early death.
- Medications: A combination of medicines may be used to treat heart failure. The specific medicines used depend on the cause of heart failure and the symptoms.
- Surgery: Surgery or other treatments to place a heart device may be recommended to treat the condition that led to heart failure.
- Symptom care: Your healthcare professional may recommend special medical care to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. This is called palliative care. Anyone who has a serious or life-threatening illness can benefit from this type of care. It can be used to treat symptoms of the disease or to ease the side effects of treatment.
While not all cases of heart failure can be prevented, many risk factors can be managed through early care, consistent treatment, and lifestyle choices that support heart health. Prevention often starts with addressing conditions that place added strain on the heart over time.
Managing chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk. Taking medications as prescribed, attending regular medical appointments, and monitoring changes in symptoms can help prevent these conditions from progressing.
Daily habits also play an important role. Eating a balanced diet, staying physically active within recommended limits, limiting sodium intake, and avoiding tobacco use all support heart function. For many individuals, even small, gradual changes can make a meaningful difference.
Support Resources for Heart Failure
Accessia Health’s Heart Failure Patient Program is geared toward helping those with both public and private insurance receive assistance for copays, medical expenses, premiums, and travel expenses related to treatment. Check your eligibility and apply today by visiting our Patient Programs page for more information.
For more resources related to heart failure, explore the resources below:
