Heart failure is a long-term condition in which the heart cannot pump or fill with blood well enough to meet the body's needs.
Despite its name, heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped working. Instead, the heart may have become too weak or too stiff to pump blood efficiently. This can cause fluid to build up the lungs, legs, or other parts of the body.
Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can help control symptoms and support a better quality of life.
Your heart pumps oxygen-rich blood around the body. When you have heart failure, the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs, or it cannot fill with blood properly between heartbeats.
The body may initially try to compensate by:
- Making the heart beat faster
- Narrowing blood vessels to maintain blood pressure
- Retaining more salt and water
These changes may help temporarily. Over time, however, they can place additional strain on the heart and contribute to symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and swelling. Heart failure can affect either the left side, right side, or both chambers of the heart.
What Causes Heart Failure?
Heart failure usually happens when another condition weakens or damages the heart.
Common causes include:
- Blocked heart arteries: reduce blood flow to the heart
- Muscle damage from a heart attack:
- High blood pleasure: makes the heart work harder over time
- Cardiomyopathy, the weakening of the heart muscle
- Heart valve problems: makes the heart work harder
- Abnormal heart rhythms: can affect how well the heart pumps.
What Are the Symptoms of Heart Failure?
Heart failure symptoms can develop gradually and maybe overlooked in the early stages.
Common symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue or unusual tiredness
- Swelling of the feet, ankle or legs
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Persistent coughing or wheezing
- Sudden weight gain
- Difficulty concentrating or feeling confused
Symptoms can have many possible causes. If you develop persistent breathlessness, swelling or unexplained fatigue, speak with our Cardiologists at Nobel Medical, Dr Koh Choong Hou, Dr Leow Khang Leng, and Dr Saurabh Rastogi, for an assessment and diagnosis.
What Are the Different Types of Heart Failure?
Heart failure can be described according to which part of the heart is affected and how well the heart pumps blood.
Left-Sided Heart Failure
This affects the left side of the heart, particularly the left ventricle, which pumps oxygen-rich blood around the body. It is the most common form of heart failure and may contribute to fluid congestion in the lungs.
Right-Sided Heart Failure
Right-sided heart failure occurs when the right side of the heart cannot pump blood effectively towards the lungs. Blood may then back up in the veins, causing swelling in the legs, ankles, or abdomen. It may develop as a result of left-sided heart failure or conditions affecting the lungs and pulmonary circulation.
Biventricular Heart Failure
This means that both the left and right sides of the heart are affected.
How Is Heart Failure Assessed?
At Nobel Heart Centre, our cardiologists can assess your symptoms, medical history and heart function to understand the possible cause and severity of heart failure.
Tests may include an ECG, echocardiogram, Holter monitoring, blood pressure monitoring, or stress testing. If coronary artery disease is suspected, further tests such as a CT coronary angiogram or coronary angiography may be recommended.
Treatment will depend on the cause and may include medication, management of cardiovascular risk factors, and selected procedures such as angioplasty or coronary stenting when appropriate.
How Is Heart Failure Treated?
Treatment depends on the type and cause of heart failure, your symptoms, ejection fraction, and other medical conditions.
The main goals are to:
- Relieve symptoms
- Reduce fluid congestion
- Slow progression of the condition
- Reduce the risk of hospitalisation
- Protect heart function
- Treat the underlying cause
- Improve quality of life
Treatment may involve lifestyle changes, medication, surgery, and even the implantation of medical devices.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Arrange a medical assessment if you develop persistent or unexplained:
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling of the legs or ankles
- Reduced exercise tolerance
- Unusual fatigue
- Breathlessness when lying flat
- Rapid weight gain
- Persistent cough or wheezing
- Palpitations
These symptoms do not always mean you have heart failure, but they should be assessed, particularly if you already have a pre-existing heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Our Cardiologists, Dr Koh Choong Hou, Dr Leow Khang Leng, and Dr Saurabh Rastogi, can assess your symptoms and cardiovascular risk, perform an examination, and arrange initial investigations where appropriate.
Book an AppointmentFrequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Heart failure can cause the kidneys to retain salt and water. The extra fluid may accumulate in the legs, abdomen, or lungs and can lead to a noticeable increase in body weight.
Yes. Heart failure may develop gradually over months or years, but symptoms can sometimes appear suddenly. People who already have chronic heart failure can also experience an acute worsening caused by factors such as infection, heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, or fluid retention (Abnormal buildup of excess fluid in the body's tissues or cavities).
Many people with stable heart failure can benefit from appropriate physical activity. However, the type and intensity of exercise should be matched to your heart function, symptoms, and overall health. Ask your doctor for advice before beginning a new exercise programme.
People with heart failure are generally advised to reduce foods that are very high in sodium because excess sodium can contribute to fluid retention. Examples include sauces, preserved foods, processed meats, instant foods, salted snacks and certain packaged foods such as, instant noodles packet soups, frozen pizzas, processed cheese, savoury biscuits or crackers, ready-made sauces, seasoning mixes and microwaveable ready meals can be high in sodium.
Not necessarily. Heart failure can progress over time, but the course is different for each person. Treatment of the underlying cause, appropriate medication and management of conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes may help stabilise the condition and reduce symptoms.
