Actionsets help people take an active role in managing a health condition.  Heart failure: Avoiding triggers for sudden heart failure

What? - What is the medical information or key concepts related to the action? What is sudden heart failure?

Sudden heart failure causes rapid fluid buildup in the lungs (congestion, pulmonary edema). Symptoms develop suddenly and include:

  • Severe shortness of breath.
  • An irregular or rapid heartbeat.
  • Coughing up foamy, pink mucus.

Sudden heart failure is an emergency medical situation and requires immediate care.

Test Your Knowledge

  1. Sudden heart failure requires emergency medical treatment.

    1. True
    2. False

Continue to Why? - Why the action is important? Why is it important to avoid triggers for heart failure?
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Author: Robin Parks, MSLast Updated: September 1, 2006
Medical Review: Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine
Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology

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