Symptoms can fluctuate at the advanced stage of heart failure, making it hard to estimate prognosis (how the condition will affect the person and how long they might live for). It can be particularly shocking for someone if they have been told their outlook is poor.
People can feel low about their symptoms and limitations, or they may feel that they lack control over their life. Life may feel very up and down, with good days and bad days. People experience different emotions, including anger, sadness and worry. swelling of the legs, ankles, feet or abdomen as a result of fluid retention.īack to top How can heart failure affect people towards the end of life?Īt any stage of someone's illness, heart failure can have a significant psychological impact on a person.breathlessness, either when resting or being active.a viral infection affecting the heart muscleĪcute heart failure is when the symptoms of heart failure come on suddenly, when heart failure is diagnosed for the first time, or if symptoms suddenly become worse during long-term (chronic) heart failure.Ĭhronic heart failure is when someone has heart failure as a long-term condition.
Heart failure is a term used to describe a set of signs that suggest the heart isn’t pumping blood around the body as efficiently as it should.
