All doctor's and anyone involved in the hospital! Plz answer?
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Once a person has been diagnosed with heart failure, it's important for them to keep track of symptoms and report any sudden changes to their physician. This table lists the most common signs and symptoms, explains why they occur and describes how to recognize them.
Sign or Symptom Why It Happens People with Heart
Failure May Experience...
Shortness of breath (also called dyspnea) Blood "backs up" in the pulmonary veins (the vessels that return blood from the lungs to the heart) because the heart can't keep up with the supply. This causes fluid to leak into the lungs. . . . breathlessness during activity (most commonly), at rest, or while sleeping, which may come on suddenly and wake them up. They often have difficulty breathing while lying flat and may need to prop up the upper body and head on two pillows. They often complain of waking up tired or feeling anxious and restless.
Persistent coughing or wheezing Fluid builds up in the lungs (see above). . . . coughing that produces white or pink blood-tinged mucus.
Buildup of excess fluid in body tissues (edema) As blood flow out of the heart slows, blood returning to the heart through the veins backs up, causing fluid to build up in the tissues. The kidneys are less able to dispose of sodium and water, also causing fluid retention in the tissues. . . . swelling in the feet, ankles, legs or abdomen or weight gain. They may find that their shoes feel tight.
Tiredness, fatigue The heart can't pump enough blood to meet the needs of body tissues. The body diverts blood away from less vital organs, particularly muscles in the limbs, and sends it to the heart and brain. . . . a tired feeling all the time and difficulty with everyday activities, such as shopping, climbing stairs, carrying groceries or walking.
Lack of appetite, nausea The digestive system receives less blood, causing problems with digestion. . . . a feeling of being full or sick to their stomach.
Confusion, impaired thinking Changing levels of certain substances in the blood, such as sodium, can cause confusion. . . . memory loss and feelings of disorientation. A caregiver or relative may notice this first.
Increased heart rate To "make up for" the loss in pumping capacity, the heart beats faster. . . . heart palpitations, which feel like the heart is racing or throbbing.
Over in the hospital (I'm a med student) I see people with congestive heart failure (CHF) all the time. People with CHF generally have problems breathing because their heart is no longer strong enough to pump blood through the body like normal.
There are two types of CHF right sided and left sided. The right side of your heart pumps blood to the lungs whereas the left side pumps blood to the rest of your body. When the right side is working incorrectly the blood tends to back up in your blood vessels. One of the first symptoms is edema in the feet or legs. This edema may eventually worsen until the person's legs become very swollen and larger than normal. Right sided hear failure can also lead to liver problems as the liver is full of backed up unoxygenated blood instead of fresh oxygenated blood. Having a body full of improperly oxygenated blood makes you feel tired and short of breath, which is why you see most people with CHF carrying around oxygen tanks. Eventually right sided heart failure can cause left sided heart failure because the left side of the heart has to work too hard to compensate for the weakened right side. There is more below in the article I cited. I hope this helps.
Well I'm not a nurse yet, but my dad had congestive heart failure. Some of the symptoms are pian down left arm, sharp pain in chest or tight chest, or it feels like someone is sitting on your chest. And the biggest one is troulbe breathing.
Hope this helps.
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