High blood pressure
Being obese or overweight
Kidney problems
Taking certain medicines, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Eating foods high in salt and fat

Symptoms

Symptoms may be a worsening of heart failure symptoms or new symptoms. They may be:

Problems breathing
Dry, hacking cough
Problems sleeping
Sudden weight gain
Increased swelling of the feet, ankles, and legs
Swollen belly

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about symptoms and history of heart failure. A physical exam will be done. Blood and urine will be tested.

The doctor will do tests to view heart and see how it is working. This can be done with:

Treatment

Treatment depends on what is making symptoms worse. Causes will need to be treated.

Treatment options may be:

Lifestyle changes, such as:

Quitting smoking
Not drinking alcohol
Reaching and keeping a healthy weight
A low fat, low sodium diet
Regular physical activity

Medicines may need to be changed. New medicine may be given, such as:

Diuretics—to remove fluid build-up in the body
Nitrates—to ease blood flow
Digoxin—to help the heart pump
Beta blockers—to slow heart rate and lower blood pressure
Calcium channel blockers—to lower blood pressure
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors—to widen blood vessels

Medicine may also be given to:

Thin the blood
Manage chest pain
Lower cholesterol

The heart may need extra support to work well. Surgery options may be:

An implanted device such as pacemaker or cardiac defibrillator—to help the heart beat at a healthy rhythm
Coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery—to relieve blockages in blood vessels to the heart

Prevention

Exacerbations cannot always be prevented.

RESOURCES:

American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org

Heart Failure Association of America
http://www.hfsa.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
http://www.heartandstroke.ca

References:

Acute heart failure. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/acute-heart-failure. Accessed July 30, 2021.

Heart failure: rehabilitation. EBSCO Nursing Reference Center website. Available at: https://www.ebscohost.com/nursing/products/nursing-reference-center. Accessed July 30, 2021.

Hirayama A, Goto T, et al. Association of obesity with severity of heart failure exacerbation: a population-based study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018;7(6):e008243.

Treatment options for heart failure. American Heart Association website. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/treatment-options-for-heart-failure. Accessed July 30, 2021.

Last reviewed July 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Dan Ostrovsky, MD
Last Updated: 7/30/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.