If the left side of the heart weakens, it can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body, causing blood to back up into the lungs, leading to shortness of breath (especially when lying down or active), coughing, fatigue, and swelling in the legs, while also depriving organs of oxygen, resulting in dizziness, weakness, and reduced exercise tolerance. This condition, called left-sided heart failure, means the heart either can't squeeze forcefully (systolic failure) or can't relax and fill properly (diastolic failure).
For most people, heart failure is a long-term condition that can't be cured. But treatment can help keep the symptoms under control, possibly for many years. The main treatments are: healthy lifestyle changes.
With left-sided heart failure, your heart can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood out to your body. This happens when the left side of your heart becomes either: Too weak to pump enough blood. Too thick or stiff to relax and fill with enough blood.
How Can You Live with Left-Sided Heart Failure? People with left-sided heart failure can often manage the condition with prescribed medications, regular monitoring, and lifestyle adjustments.
The symptoms of left-sided heart failure are the generally the same for heart failure broadly and include:
While no one can predict exactly how heart failure will affect someone's life or how it may shorten a life, in general, more than half of all people diagnosed with congestive heart failure will survive for five years. About 35% will survive for 10 years.
Symptoms
Yes, a weak heart can often become stronger or significantly improve with consistent effort, involving a doctor-guided plan with regular exercise, a heart-healthy diet (low sodium), medications, stress management, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, and managing other conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes to improve heart function and quality of life.
Life expectancy can vary depending on factors like age, medical history, and treatment options. On average, life expectancy is about two years after diagnosis of heart failure. In Stage D heart failure, life expectancy is typically less than a year.
Steps you can take to prevent left-sided heart failure include:
Left-sided heart failure is the most common type and affects breathing and oxygen delivery. Symptoms of left-sided heart failure include shortness of breath, coughing, and increased heart rate.
Surgery or other procedures for heart failure may include:
Healthcare providers often prescribe ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers as first-line treatments. These drugs are especially helpful for people who have a reduced ejection fraction. This means your left ventricle (the main pumping chamber of your heart) isn't pumping enough blood to your body.
Every 1,000 extra steps daily, up to 10,000, was associated with a 17% reduction in overall risk. These extra daily steps were linked to a 22% reduction in heart failure, 9% reduction in risk of heart attack, and 24% reduction in risk of stroke. Any physical activity is beneficial and the faster you walk, the better.
A drink might be less than you think: 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Some people should avoid even that much and not drink at all if they have certain heart rhythm abnormalities or have heart failure.
NYHA Functional Classification System
Stage 1: The person has heart disease, but it isn't yet causing symptoms or limiting activities.
When your heart failure is not very bad, your health care provider may not place you on a fluid restriction. As your heart failure becomes worse, your health care provider may limit your fluids to 6-9 cups (1.5-2 liters) a day. Having other conditions like kidney disease may factor into their decision, too.
breathlessness after activity or at rest. feeling tired most of the time and finding exercise exhausting. feeling lightheaded or fainting. swollen ankles and legs.
Cardiologists generally advise avoiding processed meats, sugary drinks and sweets, and foods high in trans fats and sodium, like most fried foods and salty snacks, because they raise bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation, significantly increasing heart disease risk. Focusing on whole foods and limiting these culprits is key for heart health.
It may be advisable to avoid travelling to high altitudes or hot, humid places because this may put extra strain on your heart. Flying won't usually cause problems, but if your heart failure is severe, your legs and ankles may swell and breathing may become more difficult.
“For example, a person's heart rate and blood pressure drop while sleeping as their breathing becomes stable and regular.” Getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night also helps individuals more effectively manage their weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol, all of which help protect heart health.
Heart-healthy drinks (other than water)
MRI, CT, or PET scans of the heart may be done to check how much heart muscle damage is present. It can also help determine the reason for a patient's heart failure. Stress tests are done to see whether the heart muscle is getting enough blood flow and oxygen when it is working hard (under stress).
Many people first realize their heart failure is getting worse when they notice gaining more than two or three pounds in a day or more than five pounds in a week. This gain may be due to retaining fluids since the heart is not working properly.