Heart failure introduction

What is heart failure?

Heart failure means the heart is not pumping blood as well as it should. Blood carries oxygen and food to the body. If the heart doesn't pump well, the body might not get enough oxygen and food.

If you have heart failure, you might feel tired or short of breath. You may find it hard to do things you used to do.

To understand better, you can:

• Look at pictures of the heart. This can help you see how it works.
• Watch videos made for kids about the heart. These can be fun and easy to understand.
• Ask a grown-up to explain it to you in simple words.
• Use apps or tools that help you learn about the body.

What are the common signs of heart problems?

Heart problems can make you feel tired and weak. You might find it hard to breathe, even when you are resting. Your legs, ankles, or feet might swell up. You could feel dizzy or have a fast heartbeat. If you notice these signs, talk to a doctor. They can help you feel better.

Reading tools:

• Use pictures to show the signs.
• Watch videos that explain heart problems simply.
• Ask a friend or family member to read with you.

Why do people get heart failure?

Heart failure happens when the heart has trouble pumping blood. Here are some reasons why this can happen:

1. Heart is weak: Sometimes the heart muscle is not strong enough.

2. Heart is damaged: Heart attacks can hurt the heart.

3. Blood pressure is high: High blood pressure makes the heart work too hard.

If you want to know more or need help, you can:

• Ask a doctor to explain more.
• Use pictures or videos to learn.

How do doctors find out if someone has heart failure?

Doctors check if your heart is not working well. Here is how they do it:

• Talk with you: The doctor will ask questions about how you feel and your health.
• Listen to your heart: The doctor listens to your heartbeat with a stethoscope.
• Body check: The doctor checks your body for swelling and other signs.
• Take a picture of the heart: Doctors might use machines to take pictures of your heart, like an X-ray or an ultrasound.
• Blood test: A blood test can show if anything is wrong.

If you find reading hard, ask someone to help you or use a text-to-speech tool to listen to the words.

Can doctors fix heart failure?

Heart failure means the heart is not as strong as it should be.

Doctors can't always make heart failure go away forever. But they can help to make it better.

People with heart failure can take medicine or use other treatments. They can feel better and have more energy.

It is important to see a doctor and follow their advice.

It can also help to eat healthy foods, exercise gently, and rest well.

If you need help reading, you can ask someone to read it with you or use a voice reader on your phone or computer.

What can help if your heart is not working well?

If your heart is not strong, doctors can help you. They might give you medicine. This can make your heart stronger. Sometimes, people need to eat healthy food and exercise a little. A doctor or nurse can show you how. You might also need a special machine to help your heart.

It is important to listen to your doctor. They know what is best for you.

If reading is hard, ask someone to read with you. You can also use tools that read the words out loud.

How can you take care of your heart?

Are heart failure and a heart attack the same thing?

No, heart failure and a heart attack are not the same.

Heart failure means the heart is not pumping blood as well as it should. This can make you tired and short of breath.

Heart attack happens when blood can’t get to the heart properly. This can hurt your heart.

It is important to see a doctor if you have any worries about your heart.

To understand better, you can use pictures or talk to someone who knows about hearts, like a doctor or a nurse.

Who can get heart failure?

Some people are more likely to get heart failure. Here are some reasons why:

• If you already have heart problems
• If you have high blood pressure
• If you have diabetes
• If someone in your family has heart problems
• If you are older
• If you are overweight
• If you smoke or drink a lot of alcohol

If you are worried, talk to a doctor. They can help you understand and stay healthy.

Here are some tools to help you:

• Ask a friend or family member to read with you.
• Use pictures or videos to learn more.
• Talk to your doctor about your heart health.

How can I stop my heart from getting sick?

What happens if someone has heart failure?

Heart failure is when the heart doesn't work well.

What will happen next depends on many things:

• How bad the heart problem is.
• How old the person is.
• If the person has other health problems.
• If the person gets help from a doctor.

Doctors can help manage heart failure and make people feel better.

Tools that can help:

• Family and friends can be supportive.
• Regular visits to the doctor.
• Medicine to help the heart.
• Healthy food and exercise.
• Talking to a nurse about how to manage daily life.

When should you see the doctor if you have heart problems?

If you have heart problems, it's good to see your doctor a lot. Visit your doctor every few months or whenever you have questions.

Sometimes, your doctor might want to see you more often. Always listen to what your doctor says.

If you feel worse, call your doctor right away.

Using a notebook to write down your symptoms and questions can help you remember what to say at the doctor's office.

How can medicine help if your heart is not working well?

Does exercise help with heart problems?

Exercise is moving your body to stay healthy. It can be walking, playing, or sports.

If someone has heart problems, it means their heart is not working well.

Doing some exercise can make the heart stronger.

But it is important to talk to a doctor first.

A doctor can say what type of exercise is safe.

Using pictures or videos can help understand what exercises to do.

What to Do if You Think You Have Heart Problems

If you think your heart is not working well, here are some steps you can take:

1. Tell an Adult: Talk to a parent, guardian, or trusted adult about how you are feeling.
2. Visit a Doctor: Make an appointment with a doctor. They can check your heart and help you feel better.
3. Share Your Symptoms: Tell the doctor how you feel. It helps if you tell them when the problem started and what makes it better or worse.
4. Follow Doctor’s Advice: Do what the doctor tells you to do. They might give you medicine or suggest other ways to stay healthy.
5. Ask Questions: If you do not understand something, ask the doctor or nurse to explain it again.

It is important to take care of your heart. Eating healthy food, exercising, and not smoking can help keep your heart strong. Use reminders to remember doctor's visits or medicines.

What is heart failure?

Heart failure means the heart is not pumping blood as well as it should. Blood carries oxygen and food to the body. If the heart doesn't pump well, the body might not get enough oxygen and food.

If you have heart failure, you might feel tired or short of breath. You may find it hard to do things you used to do.

To understand better, you can:

• Look at pictures of the heart. This can help you see how it works.
• Watch videos made for kids about the heart. These can be fun and easy to understand.
• Ask a grown-up to explain it to you in simple words.
• Use apps or tools that help you learn about the body.

What are the common signs of heart problems?

Heart problems can make you feel tired and weak. You might find it hard to breathe, even when you are resting. Your legs, ankles, or feet might swell up. You could feel dizzy or have a fast heartbeat. If you notice these signs, talk to a doctor. They can help you feel better.

Reading tools:

• Use pictures to show the signs.
• Watch videos that explain heart problems simply.
• Ask a friend or family member to read with you.

Why do people get heart failure?

Heart failure happens when the heart has trouble pumping blood. Here are some reasons why this can happen:

1. Heart is weak: Sometimes the heart muscle is not strong enough.

2. Heart is damaged: Heart attacks can hurt the heart.

3. Blood pressure is high: High blood pressure makes the heart work too hard.

If you want to know more or need help, you can:

• Ask a doctor to explain more.
• Use pictures or videos to learn.

How do doctors find out if someone has heart failure?

Doctors check if your heart is not working well. Here is how they do it:

• Talk with you: The doctor will ask questions about how you feel and your health.
• Listen to your heart: The doctor listens to your heartbeat with a stethoscope.
• Body check: The doctor checks your body for swelling and other signs.
• Take a picture of the heart: Doctors might use machines to take pictures of your heart, like an X-ray or an ultrasound.
• Blood test: A blood test can show if anything is wrong.

If you find reading hard, ask someone to help you or use a text-to-speech tool to listen to the words.

Can doctors fix heart failure?

Heart failure means the heart is not as strong as it should be.

Doctors can't always make heart failure go away forever. But they can help to make it better.

People with heart failure can take medicine or use other treatments. They can feel better and have more energy.

It is important to see a doctor and follow their advice.

It can also help to eat healthy foods, exercise gently, and rest well.

If you need help reading, you can ask someone to read it with you or use a voice reader on your phone or computer.

What can help if your heart is not working well?

If your heart is not strong, doctors can help you. They might give you medicine. This can make your heart stronger. Sometimes, people need to eat healthy food and exercise a little. A doctor or nurse can show you how. You might also need a special machine to help your heart.

It is important to listen to your doctor. They know what is best for you.

If reading is hard, ask someone to read with you. You can also use tools that read the words out loud.

How can you take care of your heart?

Are heart failure and a heart attack the same thing?

No, heart failure and a heart attack are not the same.

Heart failure means the heart is not pumping blood as well as it should. This can make you tired and short of breath.

Heart attack happens when blood can’t get to the heart properly. This can hurt your heart.

It is important to see a doctor if you have any worries about your heart.

To understand better, you can use pictures or talk to someone who knows about hearts, like a doctor or a nurse.

Who can get heart failure?

Some people are more likely to get heart failure. Here are some reasons why:

• If you already have heart problems
• If you have high blood pressure
• If you have diabetes
• If someone in your family has heart problems
• If you are older
• If you are overweight
• If you smoke or drink a lot of alcohol

If you are worried, talk to a doctor. They can help you understand and stay healthy.

Here are some tools to help you:

• Ask a friend or family member to read with you.
• Use pictures or videos to learn more.
• Talk to your doctor about your heart health.

How can I stop my heart from getting sick?

What happens if someone has heart failure?

Heart failure is when the heart doesn't work well.

What will happen next depends on many things:

• How bad the heart problem is.
• How old the person is.
• If the person has other health problems.
• If the person gets help from a doctor.

Doctors can help manage heart failure and make people feel better.

Tools that can help:

• Family and friends can be supportive.
• Regular visits to the doctor.
• Medicine to help the heart.
• Healthy food and exercise.
• Talking to a nurse about how to manage daily life.

When should you see the doctor if you have heart problems?

If you have heart problems, it's good to see your doctor a lot. Visit your doctor every few months or whenever you have questions.

Sometimes, your doctor might want to see you more often. Always listen to what your doctor says.

If you feel worse, call your doctor right away.

Using a notebook to write down your symptoms and questions can help you remember what to say at the doctor's office.

How can medicine help if your heart is not working well?

Does exercise help with heart problems?

Exercise is moving your body to stay healthy. It can be walking, playing, or sports.

If someone has heart problems, it means their heart is not working well.

Doing some exercise can make the heart stronger.

But it is important to talk to a doctor first.

A doctor can say what type of exercise is safe.

Using pictures or videos can help understand what exercises to do.

What to Do if You Think You Have Heart Problems

If you think your heart is not working well, here are some steps you can take:

1. Tell an Adult: Talk to a parent, guardian, or trusted adult about how you are feeling.
2. Visit a Doctor: Make an appointment with a doctor. They can check your heart and help you feel better.
3. Share Your Symptoms: Tell the doctor how you feel. It helps if you tell them when the problem started and what makes it better or worse.
4. Follow Doctor’s Advice: Do what the doctor tells you to do. They might give you medicine or suggest other ways to stay healthy.
5. Ask Questions: If you do not understand something, ask the doctor or nurse to explain it again.

It is important to take care of your heart. Eating healthy food, exercising, and not smoking can help keep your heart strong. Use reminders to remember doctor's visits or medicines.