Cardiovascular disease
What is heart failure?
Heart failure is a condition in which, for a variety of reasons, the heart cannot supply enough blood, and in particular oxygen, to the body's tissues and organs. It may be acute or chronic, and commonly arises from other cardiac conditions such as chronic hypertension, coronary artery disease, mechanical defects of the valves, or chronic arrhythmia.
Causes of heart failure
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Advanced age
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Hypertension
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Diabetes
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Obesity
Symptoms of heart failure
Common causes of shortness of breath include heart failure, pulmonary embolism, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, psychiatric problems such as anxiety, and anemia.
- 1
- Breathing is hard.
- 2
- Shortness of breath.
- 3
- The chest feels tight.
- 4
- You have insomnia.
- 5
- Ascites builds up and digestion is poor.
When shortness of breath requires a hospital visit
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Sudden worsening of shortness of breath
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Shortness of breath with chest pain
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Shortness of breath that interferes with daily life
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Shortness of breath with nausea
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Swelling of the lower leg and ankle
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When fever, chills and cough occur together
