Symptoms of heart failure

According to the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC), in our country there are several 770,000 patients with heart failure and it is estimated that only 50% survive 5 years from diagnosis. This is a very serious disease that has caused more than 20,000 deaths in 2022 only in Spain, and which has become the leading cause of hospitalization and readmission with a cost of more than 3000 euros per patient per year.

Taking into account this social, health and economic impact, and in order to raise public awareness of the symptoms of this pathology, the SEC and the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC) launched the campaign “Don’t let it get out‘, as part of World Heart Failure Day (9 May). And early diagnosis and treatment help improve the patient’s quality of life and reduce the risk of death.

“All of this data shows us the need to launch this type of campaign to raise awareness about heart failure. And we will be supported in this outreach work by the FEC Patient Platform. There is no one better than those already living with this disease to inform and raise awareness about this pathology.“, points out Andres Iñiguez, President of the FEC.

Symptoms

According to Alejandro Recio, president of the SEC Heart Failure Association, this pathology occurs when the heart cannot adequately pump blood and therefore cannot deliver necessary oxygen and nutrients to all organs of the body. The main causes of heart failure include myocardial infarction, arterial hypertension, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias.

Its symptoms are clear: shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations, swelling of the legs and abdomen, lack of appetite and dizziness. “The appearance of any of these signs should make us suspect that we are suffering from this serious heart problem or that we are having a relapse, so we should see a doctor,” emphasizes Iñiguez.

Other numbers

It is estimated that between 4.7% and 6.8% of people over 45 years of age have heart failure, with the figure reaching 16% in people over 75 years of age. This accounts for more than 25% of all hospitalizations for heart disease, and one in ten people hospitalized with this disease die before discharge. Within a year, mortality increases to 20%, and after five years – about 50%.

“The number of people suffering from heart failure is increasing mainly due to increased survival from other pathologies, such as myocardial infarction, and the aging population. In fact, some studies from neighboring countries show that hospitalizations for heart failure will increase by 50% in the next 25 years,” Recio details.