Boehringer Ingelheim

What is heart failure4?

Go back

Go back

Click on the image to start the video

What is heart failure4?

The heart is a muscle that pumps blood through your body. This way, oxygen and nutrients reach all your tissues and organs. If you suffer from heart failure, the heart pumps less effectively. As a result, less blood reaches your tissues and organs, and the body gets less oxygen and fewer nutrients. 

What are the symptoms of heart failure?

People who suffer from heart failure usually experience the following symptoms:
-    Feeling tired easily
-    Shortness of breath, even without physical exertion.
-    Swollen ankles, a tight feeling in the stomach, and trouble lying flat in bed  due to fluid retention building up in your body.

What can you do?

Two things are especially important when dealing with heart failure:

  1. Take the medication your doctor prescribed, on time.
  2. Live a healthy lifestyle. There’s a lot you can do to stay as healthy as possible
  3. Eat a healthy diet
  4. Exercise regularly
  5. Get enough sleep
  6. Quit smoking
  7. Take time to relax
  8. Take your medicine on time

This helps you feel your best and keep doing the things you enjoy — even if you have heart failure.

Go back