Are your shoes tighter? Might be a failing heart: Doctors

Bengaluru: Cardiologists in the city assert that people who have noticed swelling in their ankles, feet, and legs along with difficulty in climbing stairs or walking for a longer time might be on the road to heart failure.

“One of the most common causes of swelling of feet is the heart not being able to pump enough blood to the lowest part of the body, leading to accumulation of fluids,” says Dr Anand Subramanyam, Consultant, Cardio Vascular & Thoracic Surgeon, BGS Global Hospitals. Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood effectively to other parts of the body. Patients should look for swelling of feet and ankles, accompanied by breathlessness, as indicators of a failing heart.

People in the risk group are more likely to notice swelling in their legs and ankles later in the day because of increased amount of blood pressure in the veins, says Dr Girish B. Navasundi, Senior Interventional Cardiologist and senior specialist in heart failure management, Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road.

But swelling of the feet and ankles is not the sign of only heart failure. “Other common reasons are kidney failure, low protein levels and hypothyroidism,” says Dr Anand.

“The long-term life expectancy in heart patients is worse than that of many cancer patients. Early detection, regular medication and use of heart failure devices can significantly improve the quality of life," Dr Girish says.