Understanding Heart Failure: A Common Condition Requiring Lifelong Care

Heart failure is one of the most misunderstood diagnoses in cardiac care. Despite the name, it does not mean the heart has stopped or is “giving up.” Instead, heart failure describes a collection of symptoms, often called syndromes, when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Organs and cells then do not receive the oxygen and nutrients needed to function properly, which can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath and other serious health issues. Throughout time heart failure symptoms affect a patient’s long-term health and can lead to life-threatening complications.

How Heart Failure Develops Over Time

Another common misconception about heart failure is how it starts. Many people assume heart failure is caused by a heart attack. While heart failure can occur suddenly after a major cardiac event, this is not the case for most patients. More commonly, heart failure is a slow, progressive syndrome that can remain silent for years, gradually developing from some of the most common heart conditions.

Chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, causes the heart to work harder over time because arteries narrow from plaque buildup. Another condition leading to heart failure is atrial fibrillation, or AFib. This is when the heart loses its normal rhythm, causing the patient to seek the necessary treatment and medication to stabilize.

Lifestyle factors may weaken the heart as well, such as smoking or alcohol abuse. Poor diet and lack of exercise often contribute to diabetes and obesity, which are conditions common among heart failure patients. When these multiple problems accumulate, patients ultimately experience reduced blood and oxygen flow throughout the body.

“Not every heart failure diagnosis is the same,” said Sharon Natazon, MD, a heart failure specialist at UF Health Jacksonville. “Patients might come to us with swelling in their legs or shortness of breath. Maybe they find themselves gasping for air after they lie down. Other symptoms might include heart palpitations, bloating and nausea, persistent cough and even cognitive changes. The symptoms can be very different, but the problems always lead back to the fact that their heart simply can’t pump strong enough.”

Specialized Care for the Stages of Heart Failure

Dr. Natanzon is a cardiologist and the head of the UF Health Jacksonville Heart Failure Program. He and his team provide specialized care and advanced treatment options to patients on an individual basis. Each patient undergoes a comprehensive evaluation and receives personalized care based on their specific needs.

“Once we evaluate a patient, their condition is classified A through D,” Natanzon said. “Most patients are Stage B or C and, with proper treatment, they do quite well.”

The American Heart Association defines stages of heart failure as follows:

Stage A heart failure includes individuals at risk for heart failure but do not yet have symptoms or structural or functional heart disease.

Stage B heart failure are people without current or previous symptoms of heart failure but with structural heart disease and other risk factors.

Stage C heart failure is marked by individuals with current or previous symptoms of heart failure.

Stage D heart failure represents advanced heart failure, with symptoms that disrupt daily life functions or lead to being hospitalized.

Personalized Treatment and Long-Term Management for Heart Failure

Treatment for heart failure is not only individualized but built around a long-term partnership between patients and their care team. At UF Health Jacksonville, this care is administered by a multidisciplinary team where cardiologists work closely with nurse practitioners, pharmacists, dietitians and rehabilitation specialists. Most patients begin with a combination of medications to control symptoms, along with guidance on nutrition, physical activity and weight management. Because an individual’s syndrome is unique, team members collaborate to find the right balance of medication, therapy and lifestyle changes, including adjustments to diet and eating habits.

“Heart failure does not have a cookie-cutter treatment,” said Brenda Murphy, APRN, a member of the heart failure team at UF Health Jacksonville. “Each patient’s situation is different, and there is no quick fix. Care is an ongoing relationship, where patients and our team work side by side to manage the syndrome over time. Many patients stay with us for the long-term, often for life — so we can support them in living long, healthy lives.”

What does Living with Heart Failure Look Like?

Although heart failure is a serious and growing public health concern, it is also increasingly more manageable with early diagnosis, advanced therapies and coordinated care. Many patients, particularly those identified in earlier stages, can live full, active lives while keeping their situation under control. By combining leading-edge medical treatment with personalized, long-term management, the UF Health Jacksonville Heart Failure Program aims not only to treat disease, but to intervene early and try to slow progression.

“Unfortunately, there is no cure for heart failure,” said Murphy. “But that doesn’t mean it has to define our patient’s lives. With our guidance and treatment and their commitment to improving, even a failing heart can get a second chance.”