Congestive heart failure (CHF) occurs when the heart has trouble pumping sufficient blood to the rest of the body. It can be difficult to diagnose early because most of the symptoms of congestive heart failure, aside from an irregular heartbeat, appear to have little to do with the heart. Instead, this condition tends to affect the entire body in various ways, including fatigue and shortness of breath. In addition, fluids usually accumulate in the body, leading to swelling and weight gain despite nausea and loss of appetite. Many patients attribute the typical symptoms of congestive heart failure to other conditions, so CHF is often not noticed until a doctor runs diagnostic tests during a medical exam.
One of the most common symptoms of congestive heart failure is an irregular or rapid heartbeat. This occurs because the heart has to pump faster than usual to supply the body with blood. Some patients do not notice this type of symptom, or do not realize it is related to congestive heart failure, until a doctor points it out. In addition, congestive heart failure can bring on chest pain, but usually only if the underlying cause is a heart attack.
While some patients may never notice changes in their heartbeat, it is often hard to ignore the other symptoms of congestive heart failure. For example, fatigue is usually one of the initial signs of this condition, though few people would associate it with heart disease because it can be caused by many issues. Heart disease causes fatigue because neither the muscles nor the organs are getting enough blood. Shortness of breath is another common symptom and can occur whether a patient is exerting himself or lying down. Some patients also begin wheezing because of fluid backing up in the lungs, which can also lead to blood-tinged mucus.
One of the symptoms of congestive heart failure is fluid buildup triggered as the kidneys try to remedy the condition by causing retention of both water and sodium. Thus, the abdomen, arms and legs may swell, which can lead to an increase in weight, even though the weight gain is the result of fluids rather than fat. The weight gain may be particularly disheartening to CHF patients, who often notice a loss of appetite resulting from a constant feeling of fullness in the stomach. This may also lead to nausea and increased urination as the body tries to get rid of the extra fluid.