What heart failure is, how the heart pumps, what ejection fraction means, the two main types, and the symptoms and treatments that help you live a fuller life.

If your doctor has diagnosed you with heart failure, you may be wondering how that affects your heart and what the next steps are. So what is heart failure? Our heart muscle, just like any other muscle, can become weak due to damage from the heart overworking itself. When the heart is not able to pump blood to meet our body's need for oxygen, this is called heart failure, or congestive heart failure. While this term may sound intimidating, it does not mean that the heart is not working at all and the condition cannot be helped. Heart failure is a chronic condition that requires medical attention, but there are many ways to manage the condition and live a full life.

Your heart is responsible for pumping your blood all across your body, transporting nutrients and oxygen through your bloodstream. The heart is about the size of a fist. It has four chambers that squeeze and relax with each heartbeat. Four valves control the flow of blood between the chambers and out to the lungs and body. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients through the blood vessels to your organs and tissues. Blood returns to the heart through your veins. The heart pumps the blood to the lungs to get fresh oxygen and nutrients to bring back to the heart. This process repeats with every heartbeat.

When the heart cannot meet the body's demand for oxygen, the heart may try to work harder by pumping faster or increasing in size. With heart failure, blood flow to other organs may be decreased, and the blood vessels may tighten to help the heart keep up with the blood pressure. Heart failure can be diagnosed by looking at your ejection fraction. Ejection fraction is the percentage of blood that is pumped out with every squeeze of the left side of the heart. A normal ejection fraction is between 50 and 70%. If the ejection fraction is low, this may be a sign of heart failure. An echocardiogram, or echo, is a test that uses ultrasound waves to see how the heart looks and functions. An echo can estimate your heart's ejection fraction, which can be used to diagnose heart failure.

There are two main types of heart failure: left-sided heart failure and right-sided heart failure. Left-sided heart failure occurs when the left side of the heart has to work harder to pump out the blood. It can have a reduced ejection fraction, which we call systolic failure, or a preserved ejection fraction, called diastolic failure. With systolic failure, the left side cannot squeeze as well, leading to less blood being pumped out; an echocardiogram would show this low ejection fraction. Diastolic heart failure has a preserved ejection fraction, meaning the blood flow seems to be normal, but there is still a problem with the heart's pumping power — the left side cannot relax normally due to the stiff muscle. Right-sided heart failure occurs when the right side is weakened, often as a result of the left side failing. The right side then works even harder to make up for the left side, and this can cause damage to the right side.

Common heart failure symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in your legs, ankles, or abdomen, fainting, feeling dizzy, irregular heartbeats, sudden weight gain, loss of appetite, increased urination at night, and a dry cough from congestion in the lungs, or pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema is a condition caused by too much fluid in the lungs, which can make it difficult to breathe. Edema is caused by the congestion of blood in the tissues; with less blood circulating efficiently, the kidneys may not be able to filter sodium, or salt, properly, which may contribute to edema.

Many of our lifestyle choices can play a role in the health of our heart and our risk for heart disease. Some conditions can lead to heart failure, such as coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart muscle diseases, birth defects, smoking and lung diseases, uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. It is important to receive medical attention and check up with your doctor to avoid the progression of heart failure.

Heart failure cannot be cured, but treatment can help you live a longer, more active life with fewer symptoms. The main treatments include medication to reduce symptoms and aid heart functioning, changes in diet such as limiting sodium, and exercise to strengthen the heart. You are not alone in your treatment. Our care team is here to help you manage your condition and move towards a heart-healthy life. If you are experiencing symptoms or have medical questions about your treatment, please contact your doctor. Thanks for watching "What is Heart Failure?" You can find more videos on heart failure in the resource section of the app, and you can chat with your care manager with any questions or concerns in the chat function of the app.

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