Heart failure - sometimes called congestive heart failure - means the heart is not pumping blood around the body as well as it needs to. It can occur at any age but is more common among older people.9 

The prevalence of heart failure in the UK has been steady at around 1.5-1.6 per cent of the population. However, the total number of cases has increased as the population has expanded and aged, detection has improved, and treatment means people are living longer.10 

Upwards of 200,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure each year in the UK, and over 900,000 are living with the condition. Around 80 per cent of people with heart failure are diagnosed in hospital, despite 40 per cent displaying symptoms which should have triggered an earlier assessment, says the British Heart Foundation.4,10 

The main symptoms of heart failure are:11,12 

• breathlessness on exertion or when resting/lying down
• exceptional tiredness
• exercise can be overly exhausting
• oedema, especially swollen ankles and legs but also around the stomach and lower back area.  

Other symptoms may include a persistent cough, tachycardia, dizziness, appetite loss, nausea, and increased night-time urination. Coughing or a sudden shortness of breath may also produce phlegm which can be coloured pink due to blood.13