Diagnosed with Heart Failure.....hmmmm

[pepper_uk]

Hi everyone,

I had a heart attack a year ago and am now and am labelled as having heart failure. Many people I know who have had a heart attack just go home with drugs (life long) and have no further follow up apart from consultation with their GP's when required and certainly not told they have heart failure!

I have asked why I am diagnosed with heart failure whilst others are not and still have not got a definitive answer...is there anyone else that is in my situation? I think I am more curious as to the reason why more than anything else.

[Shar28]

Hi. Despite how it sounds, heart failure doesn’t mean your heart’s failed. It means it’s failing to pump blood around as well as it should. And it’s a whole spectrum with four defined stages. There’s a good explanation on the BHF website here

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

They have loads of other information too and also a nurse run helpline if you have questions. The number’s in their home page at the bottom left hand side.

Hope this helps.

[Smarticus]

Hi, so first question is did they tell you why you had a heart attack? I think this might be a semantics problem around failure/failed? Have you been prescribed medication? Do you need to have follow up appointments? I mean dont get me wrong having a heart attack is a big problem but I would want to know the underlying cause.... HTH

[pepper_uk in reply to Smarticus]

Hi, thanks for your reply. Yes I am prescribed alot of drugs. But also have a mistral valve gurgitation and Left Ventrical Systolic Disorder my EF though is good at 97%. So still wonder why now things are better they still say I have heart failure. I had a 90% blockage when I was admitted to hospital and had two stents fitted together...

[Smarticus in reply to pepper_uk]

someone who is better at the english language than me will explain, but (I think) "Fail" is a verb and "Failure" is a noun, but then I get confused because both can be used as a noun?? In short you had a failure, your heart failed... and now its fixed! I woulnt worry about it! I need more coffee!!

[Prada47 in reply to pepper_uk]

Hi pepper

You say your ef is 97% is that 97% of 55 !! which I understand to be the amount of blood pumped from a " Normal " Heart. Heart Failure is not the end of the world just the beginning of a new chapter. What medication are you on ?

Hands Face Space and stay away from MPs to be Safe

[Yass_123]

I too had a ha four years ago carrying on normally as could and on meds then one day went to have a check up said I have hf which I shocked to hear when I asked they told me my hear was badly damaged and not pumping enough since that diagnosis it has made me feel very worried and sometimes I don't know if I feel slightly breathless from the hf or just because I worry I try to carry on and lots of people have been helpful with their experiences

[MDR1]

Hi I had a HA 18 months ago and was diagnosed with heart failure. I have an enlarged LV and at the time my EF was 26% but this has improved to 35%. There are many causes of heart attack and heart failure is only one of them. If you follow the cardiologist's advice there is no reason to worry. Good luck