1.Short of breath when lying down
Feeling unable to breathe deeply or out of breath in the middle of the night or when you get up in the morning. Especially when exerting or lying down, there is a feeling of pressure in the chest and you cannot breathe deeply, and you can only catch your breath if you sit up. Many patients have to pad their pillows or choose to sleep in a chair so as to feel more comfortable.
2.Heavy chest like a boulder
This is the initial symptom of heart failure. However, when this feeling first appears, many patients do not know what to do and it is difficult to describe this abnormal feeling. Many patients feel a heavy pressure on their chest, similar to the feeling of “drowning”, and some patients feel as if their lungs are full of fluid when they take a deep breath. A small number of patients feel chest pain.
3.Sudden tightening of clothes and shoes
Tight clothing and shoes and fatness are signs of swelling, which is one of the early symptoms of heart failure, but often difficult to identify because swelling can occur in many different body parts. An inexplicable and sudden increase in waist circumference and a sudden round and fat face and neck should be a sign of heart failure.
4. Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat
Rapid heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, and palpitations are common symptoms of heart failure. Patients may feel that their heart is beating too fast and too hard, often accompanied by a sense of panic-like tension. Other similar irregular heart rhythm problems, including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, can be quite dangerous if left untreated.
5. Loss of appetite
A feeling of fullness long after a meal, possibly accompanied by nausea, constipation, feeling sick to the stomach or abdominal pain. There is a feeling of pressure in the chest and abdomen, and you feel uncomfortable after eating. Fatigue can also cause heart failure patients to lose their appetite, and chewing food can feel tiring.
6.Dizziness and lightheadedness
Dizziness or lightheadedness is the most common problem in heart failure. Patients feel that the whole world is spinning, and there are common complications such as nausea or motion sickness. If accompanied by palpitations or arrhythmia, prompt medical attention should be sought.
7.Anxiety and restlessness
Shortness of breath, incessant thoughts, sweaty palms, and rapid heartbeat are all signs of anxiety. Some patients may mistake anxiety or stress as the main cause and ignore heart failure.
8.Coughing
Cough is also a major symptom of heart failure, but it is easily confused with the flu or common cold. A heart failure cough rarely occurs in the throat as much as a cold cough, sometimes coughing up white foamy or thick sputum that may be bloody. Heart failure is more likely to lead to a dry cough, which worsens when lying flat or rising.
9. Easily fatigued or weak throughout the day
When exerting or after exerting, the patient is short of breath or feels difficulty in catching breath. Walking for a while, getting up or eating a meal can make heart failure patients feel tired. When the patient lies down, a “sinking feeling” begins to develop in the chest, followed by anxiety and inability to sleep, creating a vicious cycle.
10.Low urination and swelling of the lower limbs
Patients with heart failure have less urine in 24 hours and more nocturia. At the same time, cardiogenic edema mostly starts from the lower parts of the body (such as ankles and calves) and is depressed, while renal edema often appears first on the face. In addition, the urinary routine of cardiogenic edema is mostly normal, while the urinary routine of nephrogenic edema often has albumin.