Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesWhen to See a ProviderPrognosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
When to See a Provider
Prognosis
Treatment
Congestive heart failure (CHF)can cause swelling (callededema) in the feet. CHF is a chronic condition that results in the heart being unable to pump enough blood to service your body’s needs. The reduced force of blood through thecirculatory systemcauses fluids to get trapped inside tissues and pool in your feet.
Edema from CHF can affect other parts of the body, such as the legs, ankles, and abdomen. Swelling in the legs and feet is calledperipheral edema. It can be the first sign ofheart failurein some people.
Edema in the legs and feet can make shoes and socks feel tighter and uncomfortable, and the skin may feel tight and warm.
This article looks at the signs and symptoms of edema in people with heart failure, including when it is time to see a healthcare provider. It also explains how heart failure causes peripheral edema, and details other possible causes of edema and swollen feet.
Richard Jacyno / Getty Images
Swollen Feet and Other Symptoms
When you have peripheral edema, the retention of fluid in the lower extremities is bilateral, meaning that both feet/legs are swollen. The symptoms tend to develop gradually and may not be obvious at first.
Among the early signs of peripheral edema:
Swollen feet and legs are common signs of heart failure, but they are not the only ones. Others worth noting include:
Weak Heart Symptoms and Treatments
How Does Heart Failure Cause Swollen Feet?
With heart failure, the heart is unable to adequately pump blood out through the arteries and back in through the veins. As a result, blood can start to pool at the lowest part of the body, namely the lower legs and feet, causing swelling. Swollen feet can occur at any stage of heart failure.
In addition, heart failure reduces blood flow to thekidneys, which causes the kidneys to retain sodium and water, leading to fluid overload. This not only accumulates in the lower extremities but over time the swelling can progress to the calves and thighs. Excess fluid can be pushed toward the abdomen, chest cavity, and finally into the lungs (pulmonary edema) or heart (cardiac edema).
What Causes Swollen Ankles and Feet?
A Word From Verywell
—CHRISTOPHER LEE, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
When to See a Healthcare Provider
The sudden or persistent swelling of your feet is not something you should ever ignore.
Seek immediate care if any of the following occurs with swollen legs or feet:
Other Possible Causes
Other causes of swollen feet that may be considered include:
Peripheral edema is a concern in people with heart failure, mainly because it tends to get worse as heart failure progresses. As such, peripheral edema is often regarded as a marker of disease progression in people with heart failure.
Studies suggest that with proper treatment, people with heart failure can live for years with varying degrees of disability or complications. According to a 2017 review of studies inBJGP Open, among people diagnosed with heart failure:
Several factors can contribute to higher and lower survival times, including a person’s age (with people under 65 living longer than those over 65) and the functional capacity of the heart.
How Are Swollen Feet From Heart Failure Treated?
There is no cure for CHF. The life expectancy for people with heart failure ranges from two to 10 years. This will depend largely on the person’s age and whether there are any other chronic conditions (like lung, kidney, or liver disease) that might complicate heart failure.
However, there are things you can do to reduce symptoms for a while, including taking medications and making lifestyle changes.
Medications
Medications are used to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow and heart function, and reduce fluid retention. You’ll likely need to take a few different medicines, such as:
Lifestyle Changes
Elevate your feet:Since CHF causes blood to pool in the legs and feet, elevating your legs above your heart reduces the forces of gravity on blood circulation. This can be done during the day and also while sleeping.
Wear compression socks:These socks are tight-fitting and compress the lower extremities. This, in turn, helpsprevent the build-upof fluids in the legs or feet because there is less room for fluids to pool.Compression socks are especially important if you need to stand or sit for extended periods of time.
Other Treatments
Some people may need a device implanted to monitor or control their heart’s rhythm. Examples include:
Surgeries that can help with heart failure include:
Summary
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine.Causes and signs of edema.American Heart Association.What is heart failure?Harvard Medical School.5 warning signs of early heart failure.Jones NR, Hobbs FDR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open.2017 Oct;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013Jones NR, Hobbs FR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open. 2017 Oct 4;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013National Health Service UK.Treatment heart failure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart failure.Gasparis AP, Kim PS, Dean SM, Khilnani NM. Labropoulos N.Diagnostic approach to lower limb edema.Phlebology.2020 Oct;35(9):650–5. doi:10.1177/0268355520938283Urbanek T, Juśko M, Kuczmik WB.Compression therapy for leg oedema in patients with heart failure.ESC Heart Fail. 2020;7(5):2012-2020. doi:10.1002/ehf2.12848
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine.Causes and signs of edema.American Heart Association.What is heart failure?Harvard Medical School.5 warning signs of early heart failure.Jones NR, Hobbs FDR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open.2017 Oct;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013Jones NR, Hobbs FR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open. 2017 Oct 4;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013National Health Service UK.Treatment heart failure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart failure.Gasparis AP, Kim PS, Dean SM, Khilnani NM. Labropoulos N.Diagnostic approach to lower limb edema.Phlebology.2020 Oct;35(9):650–5. doi:10.1177/0268355520938283Urbanek T, Juśko M, Kuczmik WB.Compression therapy for leg oedema in patients with heart failure.ESC Heart Fail. 2020;7(5):2012-2020. doi:10.1002/ehf2.12848
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Library of Medicine.Causes and signs of edema.American Heart Association.What is heart failure?Harvard Medical School.5 warning signs of early heart failure.Jones NR, Hobbs FDR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open.2017 Oct;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013Jones NR, Hobbs FR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open. 2017 Oct 4;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013National Health Service UK.Treatment heart failure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart failure.Gasparis AP, Kim PS, Dean SM, Khilnani NM. Labropoulos N.Diagnostic approach to lower limb edema.Phlebology.2020 Oct;35(9):650–5. doi:10.1177/0268355520938283Urbanek T, Juśko M, Kuczmik WB.Compression therapy for leg oedema in patients with heart failure.ESC Heart Fail. 2020;7(5):2012-2020. doi:10.1002/ehf2.12848
National Library of Medicine.Causes and signs of edema.
American Heart Association.What is heart failure?
Harvard Medical School.5 warning signs of early heart failure.
Jones NR, Hobbs FDR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open.2017 Oct;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013
Jones NR, Hobbs FR, Taylor CJ.Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature.BJGP Open. 2017 Oct 4;1(3):bjgpopen17X101013. doi:10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013
National Health Service UK.Treatment heart failure.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart failure.
Gasparis AP, Kim PS, Dean SM, Khilnani NM. Labropoulos N.Diagnostic approach to lower limb edema.Phlebology.2020 Oct;35(9):650–5. doi:10.1177/0268355520938283
Urbanek T, Juśko M, Kuczmik WB.Compression therapy for leg oedema in patients with heart failure.ESC Heart Fail. 2020;7(5):2012-2020. doi:10.1002/ehf2.12848
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