Heart Health Warning Signs: Signs of heart failure appear before it actually occurs. Let us tell you whether frequent swelling in your legs is a sign of heart failure

Symptoms of heart failure

Why Do Ankles Swell in Heart Failure? Heart failure is a condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump blood properly throughout the body. When this happens, blood flow slows down, and fluid begins to accumulate in the body. Sometimes, this fluid also accumulates in the lungs, causing difficulty breathing. According to experts, certain signs appear in the body that can indicate poor heart health. One of these less-discussed but important signs is swelling in the ankles and feet. Let us tell you about it.

What are the signs of heart failure?

British Heart Foundation: Frequent swelling of the ankles or feet could be a sign of heart failure. This condition is medically known as edema. Edema occurs when fluid accumulates in body tissues. This swelling can occur in many parts of the body, but is most noticeable in the feet and ankles. For many people, this swelling is less pronounced in the morning but becomes more noticeable as the day progresses. This occurs because when the heart is unable to pump blood effectively, pressure in the blood vessels increases. This causes fluid to leak out of the veins and accumulate in the surrounding tissue, causing swelling.

What are its symptoms?

According to the health information website Mayo Clinic, symptoms of edema can include swelling of the ankles, feet, or legs, stretched or shiny skin, dimpling of the skin when pressed, pain, or stiffness. However, swelling isn't always caused by heart failure. Swelling can also be caused by prolonged sitting or standing, excessive salt intake, obesity, pregnancy, certain medications, injury, insect bites, kidney or liver problems, blood clots, or infection.

Heart failure can be accompanied by other symptoms. These include shortness of breath, fatigue with even minimal activity, persistent swelling in the feet and ankles, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, decreased ability to exercise, wheezing, a prolonged cough, abdominal swelling, sudden weight gain, nausea, loss of appetite, and difficulty concentrating. In rare cases, chest pain may also occur, especially if a heart attack is involved.

Which people are more at risk?

Certain people are at higher risk for heart failure. Being over 65, smoking or drinking alcohol, lacking physical activity, eating a diet high in salt and fat, having high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, or having a family history of heart failure can increase the risk.