Heart Failure Awareness Week 2024

Monday 29^th April 2024 – Sunday 5^th May 2024

What is Heart Failure?

Heart failure does not mean your heart has stopped working, it means that the heart is unable to pump blood and oxygen around the body properly. It usually happens because the heart has become too weak or stiff. It means it needs some support to help it work better. Heart failure is a long-term condition that tends to get gradually worse over time. It cannot usually be cured, but the symptoms can often be controlled for many years.

Knowing the symptoms of heart failure is important because this will help people get the care and support that they need to manage these symptoms.

The main symptoms of heart failure are:

• breathlessness after activity or at rest
• feeling tired most of the time and finding exercise exhausting
• feeling lightheaded or fainting
• swollen ankles and legs

If you or someone you know has any of these symptoms, please contact your GP.

Come and meet the Heart Failure Team across Gwent

This week, our Heart Failure team are out and about across Gwent to raise awareness to residents about recognising the signs of Heart Failure.

You can find the team at the following locations:

What are we doing in Gwent?

Philip Campbell, Consultant and Divisional Director for Medical Specialities, said:

“Heart failure is a condition that can have a major impact on those affected. Quality of life can be significantly reduced by breathlessness and fatigue. In recent years, more and more of our patients have been able to live at home and spend less time in hospital thanks to the efforts of the Heart Failure Service.

We have invested in building a strong relationship between our patients and our Heart Failure team. This empowers patients to become experts in the condition. By reducing the need for contact with medical professionals, this allows them to forget the label of “heart failure” and just get on with living.”