• Topic
• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Getting the diagnosis >> Getting the diagnosis

Getting the diagnosis

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Impact of the diagnosis >> Impact of the diagnosis

Impact of the diagnosis

• Clip
• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor explains that he doesn't like using the term 'heart failure'.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor advises that if people want to avoid heart failure they should avoid smoking also eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day is a go

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor explains the difference between heart attack and heart failure.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor says that treating heart failure has got better and will go on getting better in the future.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 71-80 >> Interview HF28 >> His heart failure nurse visits him once a fortnight.

2 heart attacks 1995. Triple bypass 1996. Diagnosis of diabetes 1995/6. Heart failure diagnosed some years later, probably in 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF14 >> He usually prefers to go to hospital to see his heart failure nurse.

Quadruple heart bypass 1999. Complications followed surgery. Heart failure diagnosed 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF14 >> Feel his heart failure nurse explains things to him in depth.

Quadruple heart bypass 1999. Complications followed surgery. Heart failure diagnosed 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 71-80 >> Interview HF12 >> He wonders if anything else can be done to treat his heart failure.

Heart attack 1971. Angina 1973. Increasingly breathless and tired during 1990s during which heart failure diagnosed. Prostate cancer 2000. Gout and kidney failure 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF07 >> She had got used to her heart failure and has accepted it.

Asthma and high blood pressure. Became increasingly breathless during 2001. Heart failure diagnosed 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview HF34 >> Finds his heart failure nurse extremely helpful and reassuring.

Heart attack 1992, Triple bypass 1993. Angina 1999. Heart failure diagnosed 2003.

• Condition
• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Heart failure

Publication date: February 2004         Last updated: March 2012

Review date: March 2014

 

In heart failure the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. We interviewed 42 people about their experiences of this condition. Select from the key topics below, choose from the full list of topics, or explore all the interviews.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor explains what causes heart failure and says people should not blame themselves.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF32 >> He understood his diagnosis and visualises his heart like a withered hand.

Cardiomyopathy (and possibly heart failure) diagnosed mid-1990s. Liver transplant 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF02 >> He was not well enough to really understand his diagnosis.

1996 pleural effusion in right lung. Heart failure. 1998 ruptured abdominal aorta.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF35 >> She was told she had heart failure by a nurse in hospital.

Felt breathless 1999. Heart failure diagnosed in 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF27 >> Says that getting her diagnosis was traumatic.

May have silent heart disease. Heart bypass 1999. Heart failure diagnosed. 2002 angioplasty and stent.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF29 >> He found his diagnosis very difficult to grasp.

1998/9 idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure diagnosed. Experiences episodes of chest pain and breathlessness.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor talks about 'quality of life' and how difficult it is to assess objectively.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF13 >> She has not had a diagnosis of heart failure.

1988 heart attack. Angina 1998. Heart bypass and stent 1998. Uncertain when diagnosis of heart failure made.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 71-80 >> Interview HF31 >> Describes her diagnosis of heart failure.

2001 started to notice breathlessness. Heart failure may have been diagnosed at one of several hospital appointments.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF09 >> He was diagnosed with a tired heart and explains some of the difficulties he has had since.

1976 heart attack. Heart bypass 1992. Pacemaker 1997 (replaced 2000). Uncertain when heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 71-80 >> Interview HF28 >> A newspaper advertisement made him think he had heart failure.

2 heart attacks 1995. Triple bypass 1996. Diagnosis of diabetes 1995/6. Heart failure diagnosed some years later, probably in 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF36 >> She felt angry at first when she got her diagnosis.

Dilated cardiomyopathy diagnosed 2001. Stent 2002. Heart failure diagnosed 2002. Bi-ventricular pacemaker 2003.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF29 >> His first thoughts on getting his diagnosis were 'how long have I got?'

1998/9 idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure diagnosed. Experiences episodes of chest pain and breathlessness.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF18 >> He was shocked and unprepared for his diagnosis of heart failure.

Heart attack 2002. Angina and heart failure diagnosed afterwards.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview HF34 >> He felt shocked by his diagnosis at first but was reassured by his consultant.

Heart attack 1992, Triple bypass 1993. Angina 1999. Heart failure diagnosed 2003.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF38 >> After his diagnosis he felt concerned about his family.

Ischaemic heart disease diagnosed 2001. Heart bypass 2002. Heart failure 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF33 >> His diagnosis upset his family and worried his twin brother.

Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF40 >> She did not understand her treatment or illness and her son arranged for her to have tests in America. (Video and audio clips in Punjabi, text in engl

Has had arthritis for many years. In 2001 became unwell with chest pains and soon afterwards heart failure was diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 71-80 >> Interview HF12 >> He started smoking aged 14 and gave up when he retired.

Heart attack 1971. Angina 1973. Increasingly breathless and tired during 1990s during which heart failure diagnosed. Prostate cancer 2000. Gout and kidney failure 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 71-80 >> Interview HF28 >> Thinks that working too hard and living life to the full led to a heart attack.

2 heart attacks 1995. Triple bypass 1996. Diagnosis of diabetes 1995/6. Heart failure diagnosed some years later, probably in 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF30 >> Describes how having heart failure forced him to look for a less physical job.

1979 hernia operation, heart damage discovered. 1980 pericardial sac removed. 1996 heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF08 >> Describes her ideas about the causes of her dilated cardiomyopathy.

Cardiac arrest 2001. Dilated cardiomyopathy 2001. Heart failure 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF25 >> Describes how he lost interest in his hobbies for a time.

Angina for many years. Heart failure angina for many years (unsure when it started). Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF36 >> She cannot separate side effects from her actual heart failure.

Dilated cardiomyopathy diagnosed 2001. Stent 2002. Heart failure diagnosed 2002. Bi-ventricular pacemaker 2003.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF17 >> Feels he can contact his heart failure nurse anytime.

1994 angina. Heart attacks 1994 and 2001. Heart failure diagnosed 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF18 >> Thinks that heart failure nurses should be available everywhere.

Heart attack 2002. Angina and heart failure diagnosed afterwards.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor talks about 'quality of life' and how difficult it is to assess objectively.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor advises that if people want to avoid heart failure they should avoid smoking also eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day is a go

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor explains what causes heart failure and says people should not blame themselves.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor explains the difference between heart attack and heart failure.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor explains that he doesn't like using the term 'heart failure'.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF35 >> When she was first told she had heart failure she knew nothing about it and was frightened.

Felt breathless 1999. Heart failure diagnosed in 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF14 >> The term 'heart failure' was too general for him to grasp.

Quadruple heart bypass 1999. Complications followed surgery. Heart failure diagnosed 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor says that treating heart failure has got better and will go on getting better in the future.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF16 >> Says he has become more emotional since his heart failure.

Heart attack 2000. Angioplasty and stent 2000. Heart failure diagnosed 2000. Waiting for heart transplant.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> What is heart failure? >> What is heart failure?

What is heart failure? - A doctor explains