Heart Failure Early Signs and Symptoms Topic Guide

My father had a heart attack last month due to congestive heart failure. I really want him to start taking his health seriously; he’s in a stressful job and doesn’t pay much attention to what he eats or what kind of exercise he gets. Can heart failure get better? Can you reverse heart failure?

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood and oxygen to the body's tissues. Learn about symptoms and treatment.

Edema is a condition in which fluid builds up in tissues in certain parts of the body causing swelling, pain, redness, and soreness. There are various types of edema. The most common type is peripheral edema, which affects the arms, legs, ankles, and feet. Edema is caused by many diseases and health problems like water retention, lymphedema, blood clots in the leg.

Fatigue is a common health complaint by individuals. Fatigue is also referred to as feeling weary, tired, exhausted, lethargic, and a lack of energy. There are several causes of fatigue from sleep disturbances to some diseases or conditions. Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease causing fatigue.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a group of different types of heart disease. Symptoms of heart disease depend on the cause and inclue chest pain or angina, shortness of breath, palpitations, and dizziness. Many conditions causes heart disease, for example, genetics, obesity, high cholesterol, and smoking. Treatment for heart disease depend on the cause and include diet and other lifestyle changes, medications, procedures, and surgery. The prognosis (outlook) and life span for someone with heart disease varies depending on the cause.

The life expectancy for congestive heart failure depends on the cause of heart failure, its severity, and other underlying medical conditions.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about urinary incontinence types, causes, health factors, symptoms, tests, treatment, and exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.

Pleural effusion is an excess of fluid between the two membranes that envelop the lungs. There are two classifications of causes of pleural effusion: transudate and exudate. The treatment of pleural effusion depends on the cause.

Pulmonary edema is a collection of excess fluid in the lungs. Pulmonary edema is classified as either cardiogenic (caused by heart problems) and non-cardiogenic. The primary symptom of pulmonary edema is shortness of breath. Pulmonary edema can be a life-threatening medical situation. The treatment for pulmonary edema can be ICU care in some cases, and medication in other cases.

Urinary incontinence is when there's an involuntary loss of urine. There are many types of incontinence, including urge incontinence (overactive bladder), mixed incontinence, reflex incontinence, and stress incontinence. Potential causes of incontinence include overactive bladder muscles, weak bladder muscles, blockage of urine flow, and nerve damage. Treatment may involve dietary changes and exercise, including Kegel exercises and using vaginal weights.

The four stages of heart failure are classified by the letters A, B, C and D. “A” is the least severe stage with no symptoms, and the scale progresses to “D,” the most severe, requiring aggressive medical treatment.

Diuretics (water pills) help the kidneys get rid of excess water and salt in the body, which makes it easier for the heart to pump. The definition of heart failure means the heart is not pumping as it should to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. Diuretics are frequently used to treat swelling and water buildup caused by heart failure.