Heart Failure

The symptoms of heart failure vary depending on the stage of your condition. Symptoms may start suddenly (acute heart failure) or develop gradually over several weeks or months (chronic heart failure).

Symptoms of heart failure include:

• breathlessness after activity or when resting

• feeling tired most of the time

• swollen ankles and legs

• persistent cough

• fast heart rate

• dizziness

Heart failure has several causes, including certain underlying medical conditions and lifestyle factors such as obesity and smoking. 

Risk factors for heart failure include: 

• age – heart failure gets more common as we age 

• a family history of heart failure 

• smoking

• stress

• lack of physical activity 

• poor diet

• drinking excessive alcohol 

• using recreational drugs 

• exposure to air pollution

Some conditions that can lead to heart failure include: 

Coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a common condition where the arteries that supply your heart (coronary arteries) become narrowed or blocked due to a buildup of fatty deposits called plaque. This is known as atherosclerosis and leads to reduced blood flow to your heart, which can make your heart work harder and lead to heart failure. 

High blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a common condition where your blood pressure (the force with which blood moves through your arteries) is consistently too high. This puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, which can result in long-term damage and heart failure. 

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a group of conditions that affect your heart muscle, causing it to stiffen, enlarge, or thicken and prevent your heart from pumping blood effectively around your body. This can put a strain on your heart and lead to heart failure. 

Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a common condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. This reduces your heart’s performance and means it cannot work effectively, leading to weakness of your heart muscle and heart failure. 

Damage to heart valves

Your heart has several one-way valves that keep blood flowing correctly through your heart’s 4 chambers. When these valves become damaged, narrowed or leaky, your heart has to work harder to pump blood through them, which can strain your heart and lead to weakness of your heart muscle. 

Congenital heart disease

Congenital heart disease is a heart defect or abnormality you’re born with. If the defect makes it difficult for your heart to pump blood effectively, it can lead to weakness of your heart muscle and heart failure.

At your initial consultation, you’ll be seen by a consultant cardiologist. They’ll ask you about your symptoms, general health, family and medical history, lifestyle, and any medications you take regularly. They may also perform a physical examination. 

There are several tests our cardiologist team can do to help check how well your heart is working. These include: 

• blood tests

• electrocardiogram (ECG)

• echocardiogram (TTE)

• MRI scan

• CT or invasive angiography

Your consultant will make a diagnosis using a combination of your symptoms, physical examination, and test results. They’ll explain your diagnosis to you and create a personalised treatment plan that best suits your needs.

Heart failure can’t always be prevented, but there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of developing the condition, including: 

• losing weight if you need to, and maintaining a healthy weight 

• eating heart-healthy foods 

• taking regular exercise 

• managing stress

• stopping smoking

• keeping alcohol consumption within the recommended limits 

• managing any other medical conditions you have

Heart failure is normally a manageable condition, and effective treatments are available to treat your symptoms, improve your quality of life and slow the progression of the disease. However, untreated heart failure can lead to complications, including: 

• arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) 

• blood clots in the lungs or brain 

• heart valve problems

• pulmonary oedema (fluid build-up in the lungs) 

• pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs) 

• liver and kidney damage 

• sudden death

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for heart failure. However, in most cases, it can be managed with a combination of medication and healthy lifestyle choices. Any underlying health conditions should also be treated.

The main treatment for heart failure is with medication. Your cardiologist will prescribe the most suitable medication or combination of medications for you, depending on your symptoms, the type and stage of your heart failure and any other medical conditions you have. 

Medications to treat heart failure include: 

• beta-blockers

• angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

• angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)

• aldosterone antagonists

• entresto

• diuretics (water tablets)

At Welbeck, our cardiologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialities, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.