What is heart failure?
Heart failure is a serious medical condition where the heart does not pump blood around the body as well as it should. This means that blood can't deliver enough oxygen and nourishment to the body to allow it to work normally. This, for example, may cause fatigue in muscles. It also means that patients can't eliminate waste products properly - leading to a build up of fluid in lungs and other parts of the body, such as legs and abdomen. Heart failure often develops because of a medical condition, such as coronary artery disease, a previous heart attack or high blood pressure, which has damaged or put extra workload on the heart.
Heart failure can develop at any age but clearly becomes more common later on in life. Around 1% of people under 65 years of age have heart failure, but 7% of 75-84 year olds have heart failure and this increases to 15% in people older than 85. It is the most common cause of hospitalisation in patients over 65 years of age.
Although it is called heart 'failure', this doesn't mean that the heart is about to stop working. It does mean that the heart is having difficulty working to meet the needs of the body (especially during activity).
Practical information for patients and their carers... in four languages
Heartfailurematters.org provides practical information to patients, general practitioners, nurses, families and other caregivers on lifestyle, drugs, devices and diagnosis. The data is presented in a simple format that patients and their families can easily understand and enjoy. Anna the avatar will helpfully guide patients unfamiliar with websites.
A click will introduce you Nick, Francois or Theo who explain what living with heart failure is like, what adjustments they have made and how important the support of friends and family is. Other patient videos include planning for the future, coping with medicine and how much exercise they can manage. As Francois the French lorry driver declares, even with heart failure “la vie est belle!”
Useful features allow patients to print medicine charts or appointment records which help keep track of their treatment. Captivating animations –aimed at users of all ages- explain vividly how the heart works and what happens when someone suffers from heart failure.
Lifestyle recommendations
3.6 million patients are diagnosed with Heart Failure in Europe every year, making it more common in Europe than cancer. Heartfailurematters.org explains Warning Signs to watch out for, as well as simple adjustments to lifestyle that can help patients suffering from Heart Failure to live longer. Tips go from ways to maintaining a healthy weight (including suggestions for recipes) to the right amount of exercise to keep fit without stressing the heart.
About the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology
The Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology aims to improve quality of life and longevity, through better prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart failure, including the establishment of networks for its management, education and research. Heartfailurematters.org has been developed by heart failure specialists, nurses and primary care physicians from the HFA with input from patients and caregivers from across Europe.