Turn on more accessible mode

Turn off more accessible mode

Skip Ribbon Commands

Skip to main content

Turn off Animations

Turn on Animations

Heart Failure

Heart Failure - Other Information

How do I care for someone with heart failure?

Notify the doctor if the person’s symptoms are worsening or if the person does not seem to be responding to treatment.
Watch out for any new symptoms or worsening of current symptoms, such as:

Shortness of breath unrelated to usual exercise or after waking up
Increased swelling around ankles or stomach
Unexplained weight gain over a short period of time
Stomachaches
Trouble sleeping
Dry, hacking cough
Increased tiredness

What happens in advanced heart failure?

Advance Care Planning is important for heart failure patients to make plans about their future health care, especially when they are not in a position to make or communicate their healthcare choices. Shared decision-making among patients, their families and the medical team in establishing the goals of care should be initiated early.

Unlike cancer patients, some heart failure patients can experience an unpredictable pattern of decline. Learn more on Advance Care Planning at NHCS here.

When should you see a doctor?

If you have been experiencing the symptoms of heart failure for a prolonged period of time or your symptoms are worsening, please visit a GP (general practitioner). Please proceed to the Emergency Department immediately if you experience sudden, severe symptoms.

Videos on heart failure:

Living with Heart Failure

Health Management Guide for Heart Failure

Read our guide here.

Related Health Articles

Abnormal Heart Rhythm/Arrhythmia,

Cardiomyopathy,

Cholesterol Management,

Coronary Artery Disease / Coronary Heart Disease,

Diabetes Management,

Heart Attack (Chest Pain),

Heart Transplant,

High Blood Pressure/Hypertension Management,

Mechanical Heart Assist Device/Ventricular Assist Device,

Article contributed by Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore; NHCS Cardiology @ SKH, Sengkang General Hospital

The information provided is not intended as medical advice. Terms of use. Information provided by SingHealth

SingHealth

Dr Shalini Sri Kumaran

Senior Consultant

MBBS(Melbourne), MRCP (UK), FAMS

Clinical Interests: General Internal Medicine, Obstetric Medicine

TOP

[{"SHPageId":"1326","BodyPart":"","BodyPartLst":[],"Institution":null,"SHDoctorConditionsTreatments":"#Acute and Chronic Kidney Disease#, #Asthma#, #Gout#, #Heart Failure#, #Pregnancy Induced Disorders such as Pre-eclampsia, Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy, Gestational Diabetes#, #Sepsis#, #Thromboembolism#, #Thyroid Disorders#, #Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus#, #Anaemia#, #Hypertension#","SHDoctorConditionsTreatmentsLst":["acute and chronic kidney disease","asthma","gout","heart failure","pregnancy induced disorders such as pre-eclampsia, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, gestational diabetes","sepsis","thromboembolism","thyroid disorders","type 2 diabetes mellitus","anaemia","hypertension"],"SHDoctorAwards":null,"SHDoctorAwardsFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDesgDisp":"Senior Consultant","SHDoctorClinicalDesgInstText":"48d80a29-eabe-421e-aa61-202648168f9e|8e9834e6-3ccb-4ee2-bdb9-45837e8602f8;Senior Consultant|8e9834e6-3ccb-4ee2-bdb9-45837e8602f8;278548e2-0556-498e-a240-f825599e0485|607a2275-3dee-4aff-8eeb-ff49077be347;Visiting Consultant|607a2275-3dee-4aff-8eeb-ff49077be347;","ListSHDoctorClinicalDesgInst":[{"ClinicalDesgName":"Senior Consultant","ClinicalDesgId":"48d80a29-eabe-421e-aa61-202648168f9e","ClinicalDesgInst":"Singapore General Hospital","ClinicalDesgInstId":"8e9834e6-3ccb-4ee2-bdb9-45837e8602f8"}],"ListSHDoctorClinicalDesg":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDesgInstFirst":"Senior Consultant","SHDoctorAltDesgDisp":"","SHDoctorEducation":null,"SHDoctorEducationFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorProfile":null,"SHDoctorProfileFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorResearchInterests":"","SHDoctorResearchInterestsFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorResearchTrials":null,"SHDoctorResearchTrialsFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorProfAppointments":null,"SHDoctorProfAppointmentsFullHtml":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMember of the Future Hospital Workgroup (Medicine) Committee, Singapore General Hospital (2023)\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMember of the MICA/MICU Review Committee, Singapore General Hospital (May-Nov 2016)\u0026#160;\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eChairman of the registrar workgroup, Singapore General Hospital (2014-2015)\u0026#160;\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMember of the registrar workgroup, Singapore General Hospital (2013-2014)\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","SHDoctorPublications":null,"SHDoctorPublicationsFullHtml":null,"SHQualification":null,"SHQualificationFullHTML":"MBBS(Melbourne), MRCP (UK), FAMS","SHDoctorThumbnailPhotoRender":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/SGH/Doc/2024%20NOV/shalini-sir-kumaran.png","SHDoctorThumbnailPhoto":{"ImageUrl":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/SGH/Doc/2024%20NOV/shalini-sir-kumaran.png","Hyperlink":"","OpenHyperlinkInNewWindow":false,"Alignment":"","AlternateText":"","BorderWidth":0,"Height":0,"HorizontalSpacing":0,"VerticalSpacing":0,"Width":0},"SHDoctorThumbnailPhotoUrl":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/SGH/Doc/2024%20NOV/shalini-sir-kumaran.png","Description":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/SGH/Doc/2024%20NOV/shalini-sir-kumaran.png"},"SHDoctorPortraitPhoto":{"ImageUrl":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/SGH/Doc/2024%20NOV/shalini-sir-kumaran.png","Hyperlink":"","OpenHyperlinkInNewWindow":false,"Alignment":"","AlternateText":"","BorderWidth":0,"Height":0,"HorizontalSpacing":0,"VerticalSpacing":0,"Width":0},"SHDoctorPortraitPhotoUrl":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/SGH/Doc/2024%20NOV/shalini-sir-kumaran.png","Description":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/SGH/Doc/2024%20NOV/shalini-sir-kumaran.png"},"Email":"","SHDoctorRole":"Doctor;#","SHDoctorSalutation":"Dr","SHDoctorFirstName":"Sri Kumaran","SHDoctorLastName":"Shalini","SHDoctorOtherName":"","SHDoctorHideProfile":false,"SHDoctorPrimarySpecialty":"Internal Medicine","SHDepartmentLink":null,"SHSpecialtyLink":null,"SHSubSpecialtyLink":null,"ListDoctorAcademic":null,"ListDoctorClinical":[{"SHDoctorClinAppPageItemId":"1326","SHDoctorCorporateDesg":"","SHDoctorClinicalAltDesgText":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDesg":"Senior Consultant","SHDoctorClinicalInst":"Singapore General Hospital","SHDoctorClinicalInstLogo":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/SGH-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/SGH-logo.jpg"},"SHDoctorClinicalInstUrl":{"Url":"https://www.sgh.com.sg","Description":"https://www.sgh.com.sg"},"SHDoctorClinicalDept":"Internal Medicine","SHDoctorClinicalDeptLogo":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDeptUrl":null,"SHDoctorClnicApptsFURL":"sri-kumaran-shalini","SHDoctorClinicalDisplayOrder":1000},{"SHDoctorClinAppPageItemId":"1326","SHDoctorCorporateDesg":"","SHDoctorClinicalAltDesgText":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDesg":"Visiting Consultant","SHDoctorClinicalInst":"KK Women\u0027s and Children\u0027s Hospital","SHDoctorClinicalInstLogo":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/KKH-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/KKH-logo.jpg"},"SHDoctorClinicalInstUrl":{"Url":"http://www.kkh.com.sg","Description":"http://www.kkh.com.sg"},"SHDoctorClinicalDept":"Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine","SHDoctorClinicalDeptLogo":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDeptUrl":{"Url":"http://www.kkh.com.sg/Services/Women/MaternalFetalMedicine/Pages/Home.aspx","Description":"http://www.kkh.com.sg/Services/Women/MaternalFetalMedicine/Pages/Home.aspx"},"SHDoctorClnicApptsFURL":"sri-kumaran-shalini","SHDoctorClinicalDisplayOrder":1000}],"ListDoctorSpecialty":[{"SHSpecialtyLink":"Internal Medicine","SHSubSpecialtyLink":"General Internal Medicine","SHSpecialtyLinkDisplayOrder":1000,"SHDoctorSpecPageItemId":"1326","SHDoctorSpecialityFURL":"sri-kumaran-shalini"},{"SHSpecialtyLink":"Internal Medicine","SHSubSpecialtyLink":"Obstetric Medicine","SHSpecialtyLinkDisplayOrder":1000,"SHDoctorSpecPageItemId":"1326","SHDoctorSpecialityFURL":"sri-kumaran-shalini"}],"ListDoctorInstitution":[{"SHDepartmentLink":"#Internal Medicine#","SHDepartmentLogoLink":null,"SHDepartmentUrlLink":null,"SHInstitutionLink":"#Singapore General Hospital#","SHInstitutionLogoLink":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/SGH-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/SGH-logo.jpg"},"SHInstitutionUrlLink":{"Url":"http://sgh.com.sg","Description":"http://sgh.com.sg"},"SHInstLinkDisplayOrder":1000,"SHDoctorInstPageItemId":"1326","SHDoctorInstitutionFURL":"sri-kumaran-shalini"},{"SHDepartmentLink":"#Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine#","SHDepartmentLogoLink":null,"SHDepartmentUrlLink":{"Url":"http://www.kkh.com.sg/Services/Women/MaternalFetalMedicine/Pages/Home.aspx","Description":"http://www.kkh.com.sg/Services/Women/MaternalFetalMedicine/Pages/Home.aspx"},"SHInstitutionLink":"#KK Women\u0027s and Children\u0027s Hospital#","SHInstitutionLogoLink":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/KKH-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/KKH-logo.jpg"},"SHInstitutionUrlLink":{"Url":"http://www.kkh.com.sg","Description":"http://www.kkh.com.sg"},"SHInstLinkDisplayOrder":1000,"SHDoctorInstPageItemId":"1326","SHDoctorInstitutionFURL":"sri-kumaran-shalini"}],"DoctorProfileInstitutionString":null,"DoctorProfileDepartmentString":null,"DoctorProfileSpecialtyString":null,"DoctorProfileSubSpecialtyString":null,"ListDoctorResearchAppointment":[],"DoctorResearchAppointmentItem":null,"StartDate":"\/Date(-62135596800000)\/","Path":"/profile/sri-kumaran-shalini","LastUpdatedOn":"\/Date(1656057600000)\/","LastUpdatedOnString":"24 June 2022","SHDoctorAcademicProgLogo":null,"SHDoctorAcademicProgURL":null,"SHContentTagType":null,"SingHealthInstitution":"","SingHealthSpecialty":"","TypeOfContent":null,"DoctorFriendlyUrl":"sri-kumaran-shalini","DoctorSpecialtyFriendlyUrl":null,"SHDoctorResearchEmail":null}]

Discover articles,videos, and guides afrom Singhealth's resources across the web. These information are collated, making healthy living much easier for everyone.

Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) What To Do

Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) What To Do

Atherosclerosis (Plaque Buildup) How to Prevent

Atherosclerosis (Plaque Buildup) How to Prevent

Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Sitting)

Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Sitting)

Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Standing)

Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Standing)