Congestive heart failure (CHF) accounted for 45% of all cardiovascular-related deaths in the United States in 2022. Death rates from CHF have been on the increase since 2012. The rise is most extreme and alarming in younger and minority adults.
Are you at risk for CHF? African-American or Hispanic ethnicity, as well as the following attributes, put you in a higher risk category:
In the past, CHF was considered a “man’s disease.” However, recent decades have seen an upsurge in cases among women, too. In fact, among the 6.5 million people in the U.S. with CHF, almost half are women. Worse, women are more likely than men to die from CHF.
Our expert cardiologist, Dr. Ola Akinboboye, urges you to take your risk for CHF seriously. If you’re at increased risk, we offer CHF screenings, diagnosis, and treatment at our office in Rosedale, Queens, New York.
We also recommend that you and your loved ones become familiar with the mnemonic FACES. This simple acronym can alert you to an attack of CHF:
When your heart struggles to pump blood through your body, it doesn’t have the energy for extra activities. If you’re in danger of heart failure, you may feel sleepy and sluggish, no matter how many hours of shut-eye you got the night before.
Pay careful attention to your energy levels if you’ve already been diagnosed with CHF, or if you have a history of heart disease. Even mild fatigue could mean that your heart isn’t keeping up with your body’s demands.
Related to fatigue, this sign means that you’re so tired that you can’t perform your normal daily activities. If you’re an active person, you may find yourself bowing out of events or cutting your workouts short.
If you’re more sedentary, you may find yourself even less enthusiastic than usual for varying – or even carrying out – your normal routine. If you find you can’t perform your daily activities, such as climbing the stairs, doing housework, or taking a daily walk, let us know right away.
Chest pain could be a clear sign that your heart is in distress. Chest pain can manifest as squeezing, heaviness, or other types of discomfort.
Chest congestion may feel like pain, or as if your lungs are so full already that there’s no room for a breath. You may also have a dry, hacking cough.
Ankle swelling (aka edema) is a key warning sign that your heart needs help. A healthy heart circulates blood and fluids around your body. When your heart is weak, circulation slows, and fluid accumulates.
One of the most common areas for fluid retention is the ankles. Your ankles are among the farthest joints from your heart. Your heart and blood vessels have to work extra hard to circulate the blood upward. When your heart is weak, fluid tends to accumulate in your lower extremities, leading to swollen ankles.
If you can’t breathe or catch your breath, call 911 or have someone else do it right away. Shortness of breath is a life-threatening symptom.
You might feel winded after a simple activity, such as climbing the stairs. More dire is feeling like you can’t breathe fully, even when you’re relaxed or lying down.
Another sign is needing more than two pillows at night in order to breathe freely. You might also wake up in the middle of the night, gasping for air.
Don’t ignore FACES when these key warning signs appear: Call 911 if you think you may be having a heart attack. Or, if you’re unsure of your risk or need to monitor your heart, phone us at 718-208-4816 or use our online outreach form today.
