NIH - Heart Failure: Summary "Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood throughout the body. ... The most common symptoms of heart failure are shortness of breath, feeling tired, and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, and sometimes the abdomen."

NIH - Medical Encyclopedia Heart failure "The most common causes of heart failure are hypertension (high blood pressure) and coronary artery disease (for example, you have had a heart attack). Other structural or functional causes of heart failure include the following: • Valvular heart disease • Congenital heart disease • Dilated cardiomyopathy • Lung disease • Heart tumor Heart failure becomes more common with advancing age. You are also at increased risk for developing heart failure if you are overweight, have diabetes, smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, or use cocaine."

NHS – Heart Failure “Symptoms of heart failure The main symptom of heart failure is extreme tiredness. This happens because of a lack of blood getting from your heart to your muscles. The other symptoms of heart failure tend to differ depending upon which side of your heart has been affected. Heart failure on the left Heart failure on the left side can also make you breathless. This can happen at any time but often happens when you are active or laying in bed. During the night you may feel the need to sit up in bed or even to get some fresh air. The breathlessness can also be accompanied by a cough and a frothy spit. Heart failure on the right The main symptom of heart failure on the right side is swollen ankles and legs because of excess fluid building up in the legs. The liver and stomach can also become enlarged, due to excess fluid. Heart failure on either or both sides Other symptoms of heart failure (on either side of the heart) can include: • dizziness, • feeling sick (nausea), • constipation, and • loss of appetite.”

Highlighted Articles

[Obesity and heart failure.] (Internist (Berl). 2008) “Obesity doubles the risk of heart failure independent of comorbidities like hypertension or coronary artery disease …”

Aerobic exercise reverses signs of heart failure "In an editorial, Dr. Stanley A. Rubin, at the UCLA School of Medicine, urges caution before starting heart failure patients on an exercise training program. Rubin outlines the considerations to be taken into account when starting a patient on an exercise training program -- including pre-training evaluation, as well as the type, degree, and venue of exercise training."

Superior Cardiovascular Effect of Aerobic Interval Training Versus Moderate Continuous Training in Heart Failure Patients. A Randomized Study. (Circulation. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: Exercise intensity was an important factor for reversing LV remodeling and improving aerobic capacity, endothelial function, and quality of life in patients with postinfarction heart failure. These findings may have important implications for exercise training in rehabilitation programs and future studies."

Antithrombotic therapy for congestive heart failure. (Int J Clin Pract. 2006)

"Aspirin may be detrimental for heart failure due to a possible interaction with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, leading to increased hospitalisations from decompensated heart failure."