Symptoms of Heart Failure

People with heart failure usually experience a combination of symptoms, resulting from the "compensatory response" by the body. The following is a list of symptoms that people may experience: 

• Fatigue with reduced activity/exercise tolerance 
• Weight gain 
• Swelling or edema in the legs, ankles, and feet 
• Abdomen swelling and pain 
• Shortness of breath or dyspnea on exertion (DOE) 
• Shortness of breath at rest 
• Orthopnea or shortness of breath when lying flat 
• Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND) or sudden shortness of breath that wakes you up 
• Non-productive cough 
• Wheezing 
• Chest pain or fullness in the chest 
• Palpitations or irregular heart beats 
• Dizziness 
• Confusion 
• Decreased appetite 
• Nausea 
• Changes in bowel patterns 
• Decreased urine output 
• Cold extremities