Your heart is a muscle. If your heart is not pumping as well as it should, it cannot keep up with your body’s need for oxygen, especially during exercise.
In most cases, heart failure cannot be cured but taking medicines and changing some everyday habits may help you to feel better.
Other names for heart failure are ‘congestive heart failure’ or ‘CHF’. The term ‘Chronic Heart Failure’ is used to describe heart failure as a long term condition.
When you have a long-term condition it’s important to take care of yourself and follow the advice of your clinical team so you can prevent the condition from worsening or leading to other complications.
Treatment for heart failure
Heart failure is usually treated with healthy lifestyle changes and medication.
It is very important that you take your medicine as it has been prescribed, unless side effects occur. If you do not take your tablets regularly your heart failure may get worse.
Symptoms to look out for include the following:
- Difficulty breathing
- Feeling more breathless at night
- Swollen ankles
- Rapid weight gain.
When to get medical advice
Unless you are having difficulty breathing, the NHS would encourage you to self-manage your condition as much as possible.
If your symptoms do start to get worse, or you develop new symptoms between your check-ups, early intervention can be helpful. You should only go to A&E if you are having breathing difficulties.
To help you manage living with heart failure, you can visit the British Heart Foundation’s website, ask for advice from your local pharmacy and you should also follow the instructions given to you previously by your care team.
Make sure you have adequate supplies of medication at all times. If there is bad weather forecast or you are unable to get out for any other reason, you should arrange for a relative or friend to collect your prescription for you. If this is not possible, speak to your regular pharmacy or dispensary about any support they can offer.
If you need to speak to a healthcare professional out of hours, use NHS 111 online of call NHS 111.
Eat a healthy diet
A healthy, balanced diet can help improve your symptoms and general health.
This should include:
- plenty of fruit and vegetables – aim for at least 5 portions a day
- meals based on starchy foods, such as potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
- some dairy or dairy alternatives
- some beans or pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other sources of protein
- low levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar.
You may also be given advice about dietary changes that can specifically help with heart failure, such as limiting the amount of fluid you drink.
Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity can also help improve your symptoms and general health.
If you have heart failure, you should be offered an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programme.
These programmes usually run in hospitals or community clinics by teams that include nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and exercise specialists.
Before you start, you’ll have an assessment to find out how much exercise you can safely do. A programme of exercise can then be tailored specifically for you.
The education part of the programme will give you information on healthy eating and practical ways to reduce the risk of further damage to your heart.
Limit your alcohol consumption
You can usually continue to drink alcohol if you have heart failure, but it’s advisable not to exceed the recommended limits of more than 14 alcohol units a week.
If your heart failure is directly related to drinking alcohol, you may be advised to stop entirely.
Get vaccinated
Heart failure can put a significant strain on your body and mean you’re more vulnerable to infections.
Everyone with heart failure should be offered appropriate vaccinations such as COVID-19, flu and the one-off pneumococcal vaccination.
You can get these vaccinations at your GP practice or some local pharmacies that offer a vaccination service.
Learn more about vaccinationsRegular reviews and monitoring
You’ll have routine check‑ins with your GP practice or care team to keep track of your condition. These may include:
- discussing your symptoms and how they affect your daily life
- reviewing your medication and any side effects
- having tests to monitor your health
These appointments are also a chance to ask questions or raise concerns.
You may be asked to monitor your condition between visits — for example, by weighing yourself regularly so any changes are spotted early.
Contact your GP practice or care team if your symptoms get worse or new symptoms appear. They’ll guide you on when and where to seek further advice
Travelling
Having heart failure doesn’t usually stop you from travelling if you feel well and your condition is stable. Try to avoid high altitudes and very hot, humid climates, as these can put extra strain on your heart.
Flying is generally safe, though severe heart failure may cause swelling in your legs or make breathing harder. Check the airline’s guidance before you travel and let them know about your condition. Airports can provide help with getting around if required.
When sitting for long periods in a car, coach or plane, do simple leg exercises to reduce the risk of blood clots. Flight socks or compression stockings can also help.
Take two sets of your medication, with one set in your hand luggage, and keep a list of what you take. Allow your GP practice and pharmacy enough time to prepare extra medication.
You should still be able to get travel insurance, though you may need to use a specialist provider.
Driving
You may need to tell the DVLA if you have heart failure.
Learn more about heart failure and drivingWork and financial help
If you can’t continue working because of heart failure, you may be able to claim disability and sickness benefits.
Carers may also be entitled to some benefits.
Caring for someone with heart failure
Caring for someone with heart failure can involve anything from helping with appointments and prescriptions to providing full‑time support. There are many ways to help, and simply listening can make a big difference, as the condition can be both physically and emotionally challenging.
If you can attend GP or hospital appointments with them, you can prompt important questions, take notes, and share any observations that might help their clinician plan the right care.
Watch for signs that their condition may be worsening, such as:
- breathlessness unrelated to usual activity
- increased swelling in the legs or ankles
- rapid weight gain over a few days
- waking suddenly short of breath, especially at night
If you need help
Healthcare services are available at all times. If urgent advice is needed, use NHS 111 online or call NHS 111.
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