Congestive heart failure is a condition where the heart does not pump enough blood to meet the body's oxygen requirements, according to the online medical encyclopedia Merck Manuals. Any disease that causes heart disease may contribute to heart failure, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 26.6 million people in the United States have heart disease in one form or another. There are multiple warning signs that indicate that the heart may be failing.
Chronic Warning Signs
As congestive heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped, but just that it is deficient in efficiently pumping blood throughout the body, there are many warning signs that indicate that a person is suffering from chronic heart failure. The Mayo Clinic describes these symptoms as shortness of breath, especially when exercising or lying down; fatigue and/or muscle weakness; fast and/or irregular heart beat; persistent coughing or wheezing with mucus that is pink; swelling in the abdomen, legs, ankles and/or feet; nausea and/or lack of appetite; diminished ability to concentrate or reduced alertness.
Acute Warning Signs
Acute heart failure means that a person's heart has functioned normally in the past, but is suddenly having difficulty pumping blood. Warnings signs of acute congestive heart failure include a sudden severe onset of the symptoms mentioned above, without a slow build-up of the severity and frequency of symptoms. Specifically, signs of acute heart failure include, according to the Mayo Clinic, sudden build-up of fluid in the body, sudden shortness of breath, and coughing up pink and foamy phlegm. If the failure is caused by a heart attack, there will be sudden severe chest pain.
Severe Warning Signs
There are certain warning signs that warrant immediate medical attention, according to the online medical library MedlinePlus and the Mayo Clinic. These symptoms include fast and/or irregular heart beat; severe and persistent coughing with sputum that is foamy and/or pink; fainting; and severe chest pain.
