Warning signs

Heart failure can be managed well with the right treatment and lifestyle adjustments, as recommended by your doctor or nurse. However, it’s important to monitor all your symptoms on a regular basis as heart failure can progress slowly.

You can use the list on the left or any of the links below to learn more about the symptoms you should be monitoring and what to do if they get worse.

You should call for help immediately if you experience:

Persistent chest pain that is not relieved by glyceryl trinitrate (GTN/nitroglycerin)
Severe and persistent shortness of breath
Fainting

You should inform your doctor as soon as possible if you experience:

Increasing shortness of breath
Frequent awakenings due to shortness of breath
Needing more pillows to sleep comfortably
Rapid heart rate or worsening palpitations

You should discuss any of the symptoms below with your doctor or nurse:

Rapid weight gain
Progressive swelling or pain in the abdomen
Increased swelling of the legs or ankles
Loss of appetite/nausea
Increasing fatigue
Worsening cough

To help you monitor your symptoms, please click on the links below to find useful resources that you can download, print and fill in. You can then take these with you when you see your doctor or nurse and discuss your symptoms.

Symptom and event diary
Monitoring your heart failure chart
Warning signs leaflet