This week (April 29 to May 5) is Heart Failure Awareness Week and Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trusts’ (EPUT) specialist community heart failure nurses are raising awareness of the condition that affects millions of people in the UK.
There are around 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK – and it’s estimated that more than one million people in the UK have heart failure.
The Community Heart Failure team set up an information stand at Leigh Primary Care Centre, where they have their main base. The team also have a satellite clinic on Canvey Island.
Clinical Nurse Lead, Mary Ogaziechi, said: “It has been a team effort celebrating Heart Failure Awareness Week. We work with patients who live with heart failure on a day to day basis so it’s great to be able to raise awareness and encourage people to understand what symptoms to look out for.”
- Fluid retention – swelling of the ankles and/or legs and the tummy
- Extreme tiredness also called fatigue
- Breathlessness – especially when lying flat, like in bed
Other symptoms can include;
- persistent cough
- Lack of appetite
- High heart rate
- Feeling light-headed or faint
Symptoms can develop quickly (acute heart failure) or gradually over weeks or months (chronic heart failure).
Symptoms listed can also be caused by other less serious conditions, therefore, it’s important to seek help early on and get this checked out.
Click here to find out more about our Community Heart Failure service.