Clinicians, patients, carers and politicians are joining leading charity hearts4heart in urging Australians to be smart about their heart, as they kick off Australia’s inaugural Heart Failure Awareness Week (June 27 – July 3). Now affecting 1 in 50 Australians, heart failure is becoming increasingly common and expected to rise, as more people survive heart attacks, live longer, and experience heart issues that lead to this potentially debilitating and long-term condition. Heart failure claims the lives of 61,000 lives annually, and it’s the number one cause of hospitalisation in people over age 65.
“Unfortunately, dangerously low levels of awareness about heart failure are leaving Australians vulnerable,” said hearts4heart CEO Tanya Hall, who lost her father to heart failure when he was just 59. “To help patients affected by heart failure to feel better and live longer, healthier lives, GPs need to recognise heart failure symptoms and know the appropriate clinical pathway for diagnosis,” Ms Hall commented.
“Delayed diagnosis and upward trends in Australian heart failure admissions are reasons for concern.” Cardiologist A/Prof John Amerena commented “When left untreated, heart failure progressively worsens, but with early diagnosis, treatment and lifestyle changes, a person with heart failure can reduce their risk of hospitalisation and improve their quality of life.” A/Prof John Amerena said that to assist with early identification of heart failure symptoms and provide guidance on the appropriate clinical pathway for diagnosis, hearts4heart’s Medical Advisory Committee has developed a new tool based on the Australian consensus of the recent European Society of Cardiologists (ESC) heart failure guidelines. A/Prof John Amerena explained that recognising Heart Failure can be used to guide GPs in their response to patients presenting with heart failure symptoms and is available for download on the charity’s website.
“As healthcare providers, we play a critical role in encouraging people aged 65 and older to be aware of symptoms and get their hearts checked regularly. Be heart smart. Have regular conversations about heart health with your patients, talk about possible symptoms, and be sure you understand the appropriate diagnostic pathway,” A/Prof Amarena commented.




A/Prof John Amerena said that heart failure not only places a substantial burden on patients and carers, but also taxes an already stretched health system. Accounting for $3.1 billion, heart failure is the number one cause of hospitalisation in people over the age of 65, with around 1.1 million days of hospital stay recorded each year. A/Prof John Amerena explained that 30% of patients admitted to hospital with heart failure are readmitted within 60-90 days and around 1-in-3 of those admitted will die within one year of being diagnosed.
A/Prof John Amerena pointed out that to reduce preventable hospitalisations, support shared decision-making between patients and clinicians, and improve the overall quality of life of heart failure patients and caregivers, hearts4heart is also launching Australia’s first Heart Failure Patient & Caregiver Charter with the support of Parliamentary Friends of Heart and Stroke, clinicians, patients and caregivers.
“Through improved education and shared decision making between clinicians, patients and caregivers, we can disrupt the cycle resulting in thousands of hospitalisations each year, but it will require a commitment from all Australians,” Ms Hall commented.

A/Prof Amerena said that some Symptoms to look out for include:

• Shortness of breath during minimal exercise or exertion
• Needing to use extra pillows when lying down to breathe easier
• Irregular heartbeat or palpitations
• Swelling of legs, feet, or stomach
• Coughing/wheezing
• Weight gain over a short period of time (e.g., >2kg over 2 days)
• Extreme tiredness, low energy, or no energy
• Loss of appetite