Post Views: 249
Reading Time: 3 minutes


In this day and age, tiredness and fatigue is something that we end up managing on a fairly regular basis. More often than not attribute these to the lifestyle we follow or the work we do. And because of that people end up ignoring it altogether or think that it’s not that big an issue to be brought to the notice of the doctors. To begin with, there is a difference between tiredness and fatigue. 

Fatigue is typically characterised by a lowered level of will and motivation to undertake activities and a feeling of lethargy, tiredness and drowsiness. Fatigue can be associated with several health ailments, including sleep apnoea, thyroid or influenza. However, it may also be a trait in people suffering from heart failure (HF).1

The nature and presence of fatigue vary in patients with HF can determine a lot in a person’s response to medication and their subsequent recovery. Thus it becomes important to understand the nature of fatigue and its role in HF can help identify high-risk patients and appropriate management of the condition.2

Determinants of heart failure

Given that fatigue is an undifferentiated and mostly overlooked symptom that can arise from almost any cause, and pinning down to one exact cause may prove difficult.

However, two significant causes have been found, which can be linked to HF:2

  • It was suggested that low-grade, chronic haemodynamic stress (the issues with the circulation of blood) can lead to skeletal myopathy (a disorder characterised by progressive muscle weakness), giving rise to a sensation of fatigue
  • Other studies identified personality factors, depression or difficulty breathing as determinants of fatigue.

Fatigue in heart failure

It has been seen that fatigue is a prevalent symptom among those with HF. It is also known that the progression of HF causes the symptoms of fatigue to increase. However, not all patients experience the same kinds and levels of fatigue or progression.2

Symptoms of fatigue

Several symptoms in patients with HF are relatable to fatigue. Some of these include:1

  • Disturbed immunity
  • Alters the bodily functions that are not under your conscious control like heart rate, digestion, breathing, etc
  • Changes in heart rate with shifting positions, e.g., from sitting to standing
  • Lowered blood pressure when tilted

Factors affecting fatigue in heart failure

It has been found that there are several predictors that can determine fatigue and its severity in HF. Some of these include medication prescribed, general health and capacity for exercise, co-morbidities, age and sex.2

Fatigue and heart failure  – The connection

Fatigue remains one of the hidden, unresolved issues related to HF.2 Heart failure is associated with poor quality of life and fatigue is an important contributing factor to it.3 Because the heart is unable to pump enough blood to all body tissues, blood is diverted away from some organs, especially the muscles in the limbs and supplied to the heart and brain. This leads to a tired feeling, making it difficult for the person to carry out their day-to-day activities such as climbing stairs or walking.4

In general, it has been observed that when fatigue levels are relatively low, patients are in better health with few or no health complications.2 

Fatigue is one of the symptoms integrally connected to HF, such that if you have not been diagnosed with heart problems but experience fatigue along with difficulty breathing or swelling in the feet or ankles, you should get your heart evaluated as these are the typical symptoms of heart failure.4

Given the connection between the two, the catch lies in understanding how we can manage these two coexisting conditions. Is it the HF alone causing the fatigue, or can it be the result of another condition as well? Your medical practitioner can help you understand and guide you in managing your fatigue well.

References:

  1. Nelesen R, Dar Y, Thomas K, Dimsdale JE. The Relationship Between Fatigue and Cardiac Functioning. Archives of Internal Medicine [Internet]. 2008 May 12 [cited 2019 Jul 8];168(9):943. Available from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/414212
  2. Smith ORF, Kupper N, de Jonge P, Denollet J. Distinct trajectories of fatigue in chronic heart failure and their association with prognosis. European Journal of Heart Failure [Internet]. 2010 Aug [cited 2019 Dec 7];12(8):841–8. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1093/eurjhf/hfq075
  3. 6.Drexler, M.D H, Coats, M.D AJS. Explaining Fatigue in Congestive Heart Failure. Annual Review of Medicine [Internet]. 1996 Feb [cited 2020 Apr 26];47(1):241–56. Available from: https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.med.47.1.241
  4. American Heart Association. Warning signs of heart failure [Internet]. [updated 2018 Feb 13; cited 2020 Jan 16]. Available from: https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartFailure/WarningSignsforHeartFailure/-Warning-Signs-for-Heart-Failure_UCM_002045_Article.jsp

Loved this article? Don't forget to share it!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for patient awareness only. This has been written by qualified experts and scientifically validated by them. Wellthy or it’s partners/subsidiaries shall not be responsible for the content provided by these experts. This article is not a replacement for a doctor’s advice. Please always check with your doctor before trying anything suggested on this article/website.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR