Symptom 8: Lack of Appetite or Nausea
Diastolic heart failure can also affect the digestive system, causing symptoms like a lack of appetite or nausea. These might seem unrelated to a heart condition, but they’re intrinsically connected to the issues of fluid retention and poor blood circulation associated with heart failure.
When the heart can’t pump blood effectively, it can lead to congestion of the liver and gastrointestinal tract due to the backflow of blood. This congestion can cause feelings of bloating or fullness, even if you haven’t eaten much. This sense of constant fullness can significantly reduce appetite, leading to inadequate nutritional intake.
Additionally, the compromised blood circulation can slow down the digestive process, causing the stomach to empty more slowly than usual. This sluggish gastric emptying, in combination with some medications used in heart failure treatment, can cause nausea, further impacting dietary intake.
Both lack of appetite and nausea can have far-reaching implications in diastolic heart failure patients. They can contribute to weight loss, reduced energy levels, and overall decline in health status. Consequently, it’s crucial to report these symptoms to a healthcare provider to tailor heart failure treatment to ensure adequate nutritional support. (8)
