Heart failure is a condition in which the heart gradually loses its ability to pump enough blood through the body.

Who Is At Risk?
Many factors can raise the risk for heart failure. One is simply getting older. This is because the heart naturally loses some of its pumping ability with age.

However, heart failure is usually caused by an underlying heart problem. The most common causes are high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. Because of this, risk for heart failure is linked to other cardiovascular risk factors. These include:

• Diabetes
• High cholesterol levels
• Obesity
• Smoking

Other causes of heart failure include heart infections, problems with heart valves, and heart rhythm disorders.

Know the Symptoms
Heart failure usually develops slowly, and symptoms may not appear for years. There are a number of possible symptoms. Some of the most common ones include the following:

• Shortness of breath
• Excessive fatigue
• Chronic coughing
• Swelling of the feet, hands, legs, ankles, and sometimes the abdomen—caused by fluid retention
• Sudden weight gain, which also can result from fluid retention
• Waking during the night with a choking feeling

How to Cut Your Risk
The following strategies can reduce your risk of developing heart failure:

• Managing diabetes and blood pressure
• Controlling cholesterol levels
• Not smoking
• Avoiding alcohol, or drinking only in moderation
• Staying at a healthy weight
• Keeping active

To keep your risk low, eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet and follow any other special dietary instructions your doctor has given you. For example, doctors usually recommend that patients at risk for heart failure limit their intake of fats and salt.

Self-Management Is Key
For people who already have heart failure, taking prescribed medications and practicing healthy habits can go a long way toward keeping the condition from worsening.

In one study, patients who took part in a cardiac rehabilitation exercise program for 14 months increased their ability to exercise by 18 percent. After just three months of daily exercise, another group reported less fatigue and shortness of breath. Plus, they said they felt more like masters of their own fate.