What is heart failure?

• Blood tests (link) 
• Echocardiogram (ECHO)  
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)  
• Chest X-ray   

How is heart failure treated?  

Heart failure is a long-term condition. Often it cannot be cured and needs lifelong management.  However, treatment can help you feel better, stay out of hospital and live a longer and healthier life.

Your doctor will treat your heart failure with medicines, which will make it easier for your heart to pump blood, improve symptoms and help to keep you out of hospital. Medicines to treat heart failure can help you live longer and stay out of hospital. Heart failure medicines belong to the following groups.  

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) 

• ACE inhibitors is a medication that dilates your blood vessels and reduces strain on your heart, making it easier for your heart to pump blood.  

Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) 

• ARBs work in the same way as ACE inhibitors 

• ARBs are sometimes used instead of ACE inhibitors if you get side effects (e.g. a persistent cough) from taking ACE inhibitors.  

Beta blockers  

• Beta blockers help your heart pump better by pumping slower and stronger.  

Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists (MRAs or aldosterone blockers) 

• MRAs block the effects of the hormone aldosterone, helping to control your blood pressure and reduce the changes that occur to your heart muscle as a result of damage.  

Diuretics  

• Diuretics help get rid of extra fluid from your body, including your lungs, feet, legs and around your middle.  

• Diuretics help you to feel better by reducing swelling and making it easier to breath. 

Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNIs) 

• ARNIs are used instead of ACE inhibitors or ARBS if your doctor feels your heart failure medicines aren’t working well enough 

It is very important to take all your medicines every day, as your doctor instructs. Heart failure medicines are usually long-term therapies and your doctor may increase the dose of your medicines even if you feel well. Do not stop taking your heart failure medicines without discussing with your doctor or pharmacist.  

Your doctor may recommend you have a procedure to insert an automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). 

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) 

• An ICD is a small box that is inserted under the skin which continuously monitors your heart and can correct dangerous abnormal heart rhythms if needed.  

Pacemakers are also sometimes used in heart failure to help reduce symptoms when the left and the right side of the heart do not beat together. 

Pacemakers  

• A pacemaker is a small implantable device that electrically stimulates the heart to maintain a regular heart rhythm.   

Living well with heart failure  

Heart failure is a serious chronic condition that needs lifelong management. The good news is that treatment can help you feel better, stay out of hospital and live a longer and healthier life.

Treatment for heart failure is rarely a cure, so it’s important to speak to your loved ones and health care team about your end of life wishes. Letting your support network know what is important to you and which treatments you’re OK with is important in managing your health and quality of life. You can write down these wishes with your health care team in an advanced care directive or plan.


Download our Living well with heart failure booklet