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Let’s Talk About Heart Failure
| Topic: Understand Your Diagnosis
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    • Topic: What to Know About Heart Failure
    • What to Know About Heart Failure . 1 of 25
    • What is Heart Failure? . 2 of 25
    • Take Control of Heart Failure . 3 of 25
    • Monitor Symptoms . 4 of 25
    • What Heart Failure Means to Your Body . 5 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 6 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 7 of 25
    • Causes of Heart Failure . 8 of 25
    • Conditions Leading to Heart Failure . 9 of 25
    • Understand Your Diagnosis . 10 of 25
    • Types of Heart Failure . 11 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 12 of 25
    • Labels of Heart Failure . 13 of 25
    • Stages of Heart Failure . 14 of 25
    • Classes of Heart Failure . 15 of 25
    • Understanding Your Heart Failure . 16 of 25
    • Questions to Ask . 17 of 25
    • Ejection Fraction Measurement and Heart Failure . 18 of 25
    • How Can I Improve My Low Ejection Fraction? . 19 of 25
    • Improve EF to Improve Wellbeing . 20 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 4 . 21 of 25
    • Tests for Heart Failure . 22 of 25
    • Useful Results . 23 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 5 . 24 of 25
    • Learn More to Take Control of Your Heart Failure . 25 of 25
    • Topic: Managing Heart Failure with Medication
    • Managing Heart Failure with Medication . 1 of 14
    • Benefits of Heart Failure Medication . 2 of 14
    • Feel Better with the Right Medications . 3 of 14
    • Managing Heart Failure Medications . 4 of 14
    • Taking Your Medications as Directed . 5 of 14
    • Understanding Your Medications . 6 of 14
    • It’s Worth Your Effort . 7 of 14
    • Managing Medication Side Effects and Interactions . 8 of 14
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 9 of 14
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 10 of 14
    • Track Your Symptoms . 11 of 14
    • Medicine Assistance Programs . 12 of 14
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 13 of 14
    • Communication is key . 14 of 14
    • Topic: Taking Control of Your Health Management
    • Taking Control of Your Health Management . 1 of 20
    • Notice Your Symptoms . 2 of 20
    • Track Your Symptoms . 3 of 20
    • Identify Early Symptoms . 4 of 20
    • Know When to Call for Help . 5 of 20
    • No One Knows You Like You Do . 6 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 7 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 8 of 20
    • Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference . 9 of 20
    • Lifestyle Changes for Heart Failure . 10 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 11 of 20
    • Eating a Heart-Healthy Diet . 12 of 20
    • Avoid Hidden Sources of Sodium . 13 of 20
    • Read Food Labels . 14 of 20
    • Ease Into New Habits . 15 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 4 . 16 of 20
    • Increase Your Activity Level . 17 of 20
    • Pay Attention to How You Feel . 18 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 5 . 19 of 20
    • It Takes a Team . 20 of 20
    • Topic: Caring for Your Emotional Well-being
    • Caring for Your Emotional Well-being . 1 of 11
    • Common Feelings After a Diagnosis of Heart Failure . 2 of 11
    • Recognizing Emotions After a Diagnosis of Heart Failure . 3 of 11
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 4 of 11
    • Take Charge . 5 of 11
    • What Can I Do? . 6 of 11
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 7 of 11
    • What Can My Doctor Do? . 8 of 11
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 9 of 11
    • Quick Quiz 4 . 10 of 11
    • Take Action to Ensure Your Quality of Life . 11 of 11
    • Topic: What to Expect During an Office Visit
    • What to Expect During an Office Visit . 1 of 15
    • Physical Examination . 2 of 15
    • What to Expect at the Exam . 3 of 15
    • Tips for a Successful Exam . 4 of 15
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 5 of 15
    • Testing Provides Insights . 6 of 15
    • Common Tests for Heart Failure . 7 of 15
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 8 of 15
    • Your Healthcare Team . 9 of 15
    • Members of Your Healthcare Team . 10 of 15
    • You Play an Important Role . 11 of 15
    • Partnering in Your Treatment . 12 of 15
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 13 of 15
    • Quick Quiz 4 . 14 of 15
    • Work Together . 15 of 15
    • Topic: What to Know About Advanced Heart Failure
    • What to Know About Advanced Heart Failure . 1 of 21
    • What is Advanced Heart Failure? . 2 of 21
    • Learn About Your Options . 3 of 21
    • What are My Treatment Options for Advanced Heart Failure? . 4 of 21
    • Temporary Therapies for Advanced Heart Failure . 5 of 21
    • Heart Transplant . 6 of 21
    • You Have Options . 7 of 21
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 8 of 21
    • Shared Decision Making . 9 of 21
    • Advance Care Planning . 10 of 21
    • Advance Care Plan Documents . 11 of 21
    • Advanced Heart Failure Care Options . 12 of 21
    • End of Life Care . 13 of 21
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 14 of 21
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 15 of 21
    • Reduce Uncertainty by Preparing . 16 of 21
    • Survey Question 1 . 17 of 21
    • Survey Question 2 . 18 of 21
    • Survey Question 3 . 19 of 21
    • Survey Question 4 . 20 of 21
    • Survey Question 5 . 21 of 21
    • Other Modules in This Series
    • Let's Talk About Blood Pressure
    • Let’s Talk About Diabetes, Heart Disease, & Stroke
    • Let’s Talk About LDL Cholesterol

Types of Heart Failure

Explore each section to learn more.

Slide 1 of 6

Left-sided heart failure

The heart's pumping action moves oxygen-rich blood as it travels from the lungs to the left atrium, then on to the left ventricle, which pumps it to the rest of the body. The left ventricle supplies most of the heart's pumping power, so it's larger than the other chambers and essential for normal function.

In left-sided or left ventricular (LV) heart failure, the left side of the heart must work harder to pump the same amount of blood.

Continue to learn about the two types of left-sided heart failure.

Slide 2 of 6
Heart with Reduced Ejection Fraction

Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF) (Systolic HF) is a type of heart failure where the heart weakens, preventing the heart from pumping enough blood.

Slide 3 of 6
Heart with Preserved Ejection Faction

Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Faction (HFpEF) (Diastolic HF) is a type of heart failure where the heart muscle contracts normally but the ventricles do not relax as they should.

Slide 4 of 6

Right-sided heart failure

The heart's pumping action moves "used" blood that returns to the heart through the veins through the right atrium into the right ventricle. The right ventricle then pumps the blood back out of the heart into the lungs to be replenished with oxygen.

Right-sided or right ventricular (RV) heart failure usually occurs as a result of left-sided failure. When the left ventricle fails, increased fluid pressure is, in effect, transferred back through the lungs, ultimately damaging the heart's right side.

Slide 5 of 6

Heart failure with congestion

When blood flow out of the heart slows down it can cause the blood returning to the heart to back up. When the blood backs up it causes congestion and swelling in the body's tissues.

Sometimes fluid gathers in the lungs and interferes with breathing. When this happens it causes shortness of breath, especially when a person is lying down. This is called pulmonary edema and if left untreated can cause respiratory distress.

Heart failure also affects the way kidneys work. Heart failure makes it hard for the kidney to get rid of sodium and water which can increase swelling in the body's tissues.

Slide 6 of 6
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