Feeling a little more tired than normal or short of breath, having swelling in your ankles and difficulty breathing when lying down could be symptoms of heart failure, according to Harvard University in the United States. See which ones have the warning signs of this condition.
Warning signs of heart failure To help both patients and doctors quickly detect possible symptoms of heart failure, the Heart Failure Society of America suggests considering:
-Fatigue: A weakened heart cannot supply enough oxygen-rich blood to meet the body’s needs, causing a general feeling of tiredness or fatigue.
-Activity limitation: Because people with heart failure tire easily, they often have difficulty doing everyday activities such as preparing a meal or taking a short walk.
-Congestion: the poor pumping capacity of the heart causes blood to accumulate and fluid to leak into the lungs. The resulting lung congestion can cause coughing and wheezing. Edema or swelling of the ankle: Excess fluid can also accumulate in the ankles, legs, thighs, and abdomen. All the excess fluid can also lead to rapid weight gain.
-Shortness of breath: Congestion makes it difficult for the lungs to remove carbon dioxide and replenish the blood with fresh oxygen, making it difficult to breathe. Shortness of breath often worsens when people lie down because excess fluid from the lower body rises into the lungs.
According to Harvard, these are all classic symptoms of early heart failure, which occurs when the heart cannot pump effectively enough to distribute blood throughout the body.
