Types of Heart Failure
Heart failure results when your heart fails to pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. Your heart can ‘fail’ in several ways; and the type of heart failure you experience may influence the treatment plan. Types of heart failure include systolic, diastolic, acute, chronic, right side, and left side heart failure.
Systolic vs. Diastolic Heart Failure
In about half of all heart failure cases, the heart becomes too weak to pump with the force necessary to move blood throughout the body. We call this systolic heart failure. In the other half of heart failure cases, the heart becomes stiff and cannot stretch to fill with the required volume – this is known as diastolic heart failure. The symptoms (shortness of breath, inability to exercise, ankle swelling, and breathing that is labored when you are lying flat but is fine when you sit upright) may be identical, but the treatments are often different.
Acute Vs. Chronic Heart Failure
Acute heart failure develops suddenly and the symptoms are severe but improve rapidly. Symptoms include:
- Severe shortness of breath, especially while walking or bending over
- Rapid heartbeat and palpitations, which may cause the heart to stop
- Unexpected fluid retention
- Rapid weight gain and swelling
- Swift and severe chest pain
Chronic heart failure, which is more common than acute heart failure, occurs when symptoms appear slowly and get worse. The symptoms are:
- Coughing
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath, especially while walking or bending over to put on shoes
- Trouble walking long-distances
- Fluid retention
- Swelling in the feet, ankles, and legs
- Irregular heartbeat
Right Side Vs. Left Side Heart Failure
Right side heart failure occurs when the right side of the heart is weakened or damaged, and the right ventricle cannot pump enough blood to the lungs to get new oxygen to send to the left side of the heart. Blood tends to pool on the right side of the heart. Symptoms of right-side heart failure may include:
- Swelling in the feet, ankles and legs
- Distended abdomen or bloating
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath, especially while walking or bending over
- Irregular heartbeat
Left side heart failure is when the left side of the heart is weakened or damaged and the left ventricle cannot pump enough blood to the body and major organs. The blood gets backed up and pools on the left side of the lungs. Symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath, especially while walking or bending over
- Fatigue
- Dizziness, lightheadedness
- Irregular heartbeat
You can also experience symptoms suggesting both right and left side heart failure. Should you have any of these signs and symptoms, you should contact your doctor.