Heart failure means the heart has become less effective in pumping blood around the body. This puts pressure on the damaged heart and causes it to work harder to provide the nutrients and oxygen your body needs.

It is usually a long-term condition that needs to be managed rather than cured. Medical treatments for heart failure are very effective and can often improve, or help to control, your symptoms.

Symptoms of heart failure can include:

  • Shortness of breath when you are being active or at rest
  • Swollen feet, ankles, stomach and around the lower back area
  • Feeling unusually tired or weak.

The most common causes of heart failure are:

  • A heart attack
  • High blood pressure
  • Cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle).

Heart failure can also be caused by heart problems you are born with (congenital heart conditions), excessive alcohol consumption, anaemia and some cancer treatments (such as chemotherapy).

Coronary angiogram

A coronary angiogram is a test used to look at the main arteries that supply the heart with blood and oxygen, known as the coronary arteries.

Non-invasive cardiology

Non-invasive cardiology is used to diagnose arrhythmias, coronary heart disease and heart failure and includes ECH holter monitoring, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and 24-hour blo...

Heart failure treatment

We have a number of treatments for heart failure, including invasive and non-invasive cardiac procedures. 

Part one - What is an ICD?

Part two - Before the ICD procedure

Part three - During the ICD procedure

 

ACHD unit location

Royal Brompton Hospital, SW3 6NP

Contact details
Email: achd@rbht.nhs.uk 

Heart valve clinic

Clinical lead

Professor John Pepper

Clinic location

Outpatients department (Outpatients East), Fulham wing / South Block, Fulham Road

Booking appointments

Tel: +44 (0)207 351 8011 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)

Clinical nurse specialists

Tel: +44 (0)207 351 8497 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)


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