10 CHF (congestive heart failure) myths
Key Points
- Myth: Heart failure is always very serious, and cannot be treated (not always, and treatments are effective).
- Myth: You cannot prevent heart failure (you can do a lot to prevent it, especially if you have diabetes, or CKD).
- Myth: You should take it easy if you have heart failure (no, you should remain active).
- Myth: The best treatment for heart failure is a heart transplant (there are only 200 in the UK every year, i.e. it’s rare to have one).
- Myth: Heart failure’s biggest danger is a heart attack (heart failure does not lead to heart attacks).
Here are 10 common myths about heart failure.
1. Myth: Heart failure means my heart doesn’t work anymore. Soon, it will stop beating.
Fact: Your heart is a muscle. Heart failure means that the muscle is too weak or stiff to pump blood in and out of your heart properly. But your heart won’t suddenly stop.
2. Myth: Heart failure is always serious.
Fact: It s true that heart failure is a serious condition that can shorten your life. However, there are very effective treatments. Combined with changes to your lifestyle, your symptoms will ease; both improving your quality of life, and prolonging your life.
3. Myth: Heart failure cannot be treated.
Fact: You can treat heart failure. Medication can make your heart stronger, and you can take drugs and reduce your fluid intake, so fluid doesn’t build up in your body. Surgery to the coronary (heart) arteries (that supply blood to the heart itself), can help blood pass through them if they are clogged; thereby improving the blood supply to the heart. And your heart specialist can replace heart valves if they are the cause of the problem. Electrical devices like pacemakers and ICDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators) can make your heart beat stronger or stay in a regular rhythm.
4. Myth: You cannot really tell if you have heart failure.
Fact: The early signs are easy to spot.
- Shortness of breath
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Constant coughing or wheezing
- Swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet
- Rapid heart rate.
These are non-specific and there are other causes of them (like Chronic Kidney Disease). But if you notice these signs, you should seek medical help soon.
5. Myth: You cannot prevent heart failure.
Fact: You can lower your chances of heart failure. This is how:
- If you have certain health conditions that can affect your heart, get them under control. These include diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, sleep apnoea, and obesity
- Cut back on alcohol, and don’t smoke.
- Stay active and keep a healthy weight.
6. Myth: Heart failure is the same as a heart attack.
Fact: During a heart attack, the blood supply to part of your heart muscle is cut off. It’s due to a blod clot in the arteries around the heart, caused by a buildup of plaques in the arteries. Whereas, in heart failure, your heart isn’t pumping as much blood as your body needs.
A heart attack can be one of the causes of heart failure, but they’re not the same thing.
7. Myth: You should take it easy if you have heart failure.
Fact: When you find out that you have heart failure, you might be afraid to do too much. But regular movement is part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Talk to your doctor about an appropriate exercise plan. Yes, you should not exercise too much. But the right exercise plan will strengthen your heart muscles, help blood flow, and ease symptoms.
So you should not avoid exercise, sex or driving a car. Sex is actually healthy for both men and women with heart failure. It can ease stress. It’s also a heart-healthy form of exercise.
8. Myth: Only older people get heart failure.
Fact: Heart failure is more common in people over 65 years, but children and younger adults can get it. The symptoms and treatment can vary depending on your age.
9. Myth: The best treatment for heart failure is a heart transplant.
Fact. Only about 200 heart transplants happen in the UK every year. So it is a very rare treatment, considering there are nearly 1 million people with heart failure in the UK (and 60,000 new ones per year). This is partly as not that many people are suitable for it, and partly the lack of organs. Most happen in younger people, i.e. they are unusual over 65 years old.
10. Myth: Heart failure’s biggest danger is a heart attack.
Fact: A heart attack is different from heart failure, and it is not its biggest danger. Heart attacks can cause heart failure but are not a consequence of it. There are many other causes of heart failure including inherited heart disease (like hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, HOCM) and heart valve problems.
Other resources
There is more on myHSN about heart failure here.
