The thought of congestive heart failure is nothing short of terrifying. This heart condition is a very serious one that is cause for alarm as it can lead to serious health consequences and even death. Coronary artery disease which is another term for heart failure is a type of heart condition that needs immediate attention. Below are some of the top symptoms to be on the lookout for so you can talk to your doctor about whether or not you may have heart failure so treatment can be given to you as fast as possible. 

It is vitally important to remember that if your doctor has diagnosed you with heart failure you need to do as much research as possible on your condition and follow your doctor’s orders closely so that it can be managed and any symptom changes can be reported and taken care of immediately by your doctor:

1. Shortness of breath

If you find that you are out of breath while you are resting, doing normal day-to-day activities, or wake up from sleep because of the inability to breathe, you may have congestive heart failure. This shortness of breath happens because blood gets backed up in the pulmonary veins which means the heart cannot keep up. This leads to fluid getting into your lungs and causing it to be hard to breathe easily. 

2. Tiredness and fatigue

This does not apply if you are working insane hours, not sleeping well, or have something going on in life that is out of your normal. If you are tired all the time, get fatigued doing everyday tasks like walking around a store or doing things in your house, it could be a warning sign of heart failure. Incredible fatigue happens because the heart cannot pump enough blood to the rest of the body tissue so it takes away some blood from other parts of the body and diverts it to the more vital organs like the brain and the heart. This means your other limbs are going to get tired faster as your body is in survival mode. 

3. Confused thinking

Extreme confusion or the inability to sort out your thoughts or remember things you normally would have been able to remember is a major symptom of heart failure. You may not even see this in yourself as your mind is not working correctly, and may instead be noticed first by caregivers, relatives, or someone close to you as they see your memory and behaviors change. 

4. Increased blood pressure and heart rate 

When your heart begins to lose its capacity to pump well, it starts to beat faster in compensation. This can lead to heart palpitations or a heart rate that is going too fast at rest. It can also cause you to have incredibly high blood pressure increases your risk of stroke and heart attack. 

By themselves, these symptoms are not incredibly concerning and can be treated for the most part with medications and changes to your lifestyle. It is when you have two or more of these symptoms at the same time when you want to get to your doctor and be checked for heart failure immediately so a plan of action can be put in place as quickly as possible.