Heart failure is a disease where the heart - one of the central parts of the body - partially or completely fails to supply enough blood to the organs of the body. According to CDC, heart failure does not mean your heart does not function through and through. Rather, it lags behind in supplying blood to the lungs and other vital parts of the body.

Heart failure is one of the commonest diseases that costs the lives of millions every year. According to the Centers for Diseases Control (CDC), as many as 6 million Americans have heart failure. What is more alarming is that the early signs of heart failure are often neglected. As a result, the patients end up in unforeseen circumstances like catastrophic health decline and even death.

BBC / According to Harvard Health experts, heart failure becomes deadly once the early signs are neglected.

Since the early signs of heart failure can be tiny and minute, it is easy to neglect them. Most of the heart patients do not even know that they are victims of heart failure. Once they do, it is too late for them and the situation is chronic. Ultimately, things become vague and the disease becomes deadly.

That is why, it is prudent to have a clear understanding of the functionality of your heart. It will allow you to reckon if there is any disease in your heart. Consequently, you will be in the position to take the necessary precautions and treatment to avoid any major health risks.

Understanding the early signs of heart failure is equally important. Once you know the early signs, you can take the necessary steps. Here are 5 early signs of heart failure:

1. Difficulty in Breathing

One of the commonest early signs of heart failure is facing an unusual difficulty in breathing. Shortness in breathing occurs when the heart fails to thoroughly pump oxygen and blood. “As you walk around, your heart fails to pump blood (which is essential for all the body parts), which results in the shortness of breath,” says the director of Heart Failure Clinic, Dr. Sollanki Pallavi.

This early sign of heart failure can be noticed while resting, laying flat, or brisk walking.

2. Weakness, Fatigue, and Unusual Fragility

Fatigue and weakness are the second most common early signs of heart failure. Essentially, you feel tired and sluggish as your heart does not supply enough blood to your essential body parts, especially the brain.

Live Science / Arianna / Pexels / Shortage of blood and oxygen supply is the foremost reason for heart failure, per CDC.

As a result, you become restless and you feel tired all day long. If you feel “wiped out” or procrastinate abundantly, the chances are that you are getting exposed to the early signs of heart failure.

3. Abnormal Swelling of Different Body Parts

Abnormal swelling of hands, ankles, toes, and legs is another common early sign of heart failure. According to the heart experts at Harward Health, when your kidney faces the scarcity of blood supply from the heart, it pushes different fluids.

This results in the abnormal swelling of different body parts like limbs, toes, and feet.

4. Difficulty in Physical Activities

A typical heart failure patient faces enormous difficulties in exercise and other physical activities. As your body parts face a lack of blood supply, they leave their normal functionalities. Consequently, the patient faces difficulty in physical activities.

Ron / Pexels / According to the CDC, restlessness and inactivity of the body are the early signs of heart failure.

5. Abnormal Heartbeat Rate

One of the commonest early signs of heart failure is an abnormal heartbeat rate. As the heart misfunctions and fails to pump blood and oxygen, its beat rate becomes abnormal. Essentially, the heart tries to beat hard to supply blood to the organs of the body. Consequently, it ends up in what is known as Heart Palpitation.