Heart Failure: Frequently Asked Questions (NAPSA)—According to the American Heart Association, nearly five million Americans are living with heart failure and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Heart failure is a seri- ous condition that often is misun- derstood. The questions below are intended to help clear up some misperceptions about this condition and its complications. Q. What is heart failure? A. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped or is Symptomsrelated to heart failure— swelling of the hands, feet or abdomen; weakness; sudden weight changes— may require hospital treatment. Q. What are the symptoms of heart failure? A. Some symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, frequent coughing, increased heart rate, heart palpita- tions (your heart mayfeellikeit is pump blood through your body as racing), fatigue, weakness, swollen ankles and legs, loss of appetite and weight gain. Patients Your heart still beats, but it their heart failure symptomsalso about to stop. It is a serious condi- tion in which the heart doesn’t well as it should. pumps less nutrient- and oxygen- rich blood to the rest of your body. Because of this, heart failure can make youfeel tired or weak. Heart failure also can cause swelling and fluid buildup in yourlegs, feet and even your lungs. Fluid buildup in your lungs often is referred to as “congestion,” which is why heart failure is sometimescalled “congestive heart failure (CHF).” At times, patients may require hospitalization to treat a worsening, or an acute episode,of their heart failure symptoms. who experience acute episodes of may have extreme shortness of breath that leaves them gasping for air. Since they may have fluid buildup in their lungs, they may feel as though they are drowning. Q. How are acute episodes of heart failure treated? A. There are some common intravenous (IV) drugs that are commonly given to patients in hospitals to treat acute episodes of heart failure. They include diuret- ics, inotropes and IV vasodilators. Please talk to your healthcare professional for more information.
