Sepsis and heart failure: what to know

Heart failure can cause breathlessness, fatigue, cough, a fast or irregular heartbeat, and swelling around the ankles. Sepsis is a dangerous response to infection that can change circulation, breathing, alertness, and kidney function. An infection may therefore worsen existing heart-failure symptoms or create new symptoms that are hard to distinguish at home.

Do not assume every change is a routine flare. Fever, chills, confusion, faintness, rapidly worsening breathlessness, or feeling suddenly very unwell suggests an infection or another emergency. Atrial fibrillation and hypertension may also form part of your cardiac history, so share the full medication and diagnosis list.

Contact your heart-failure team or urgent medical service early and say that you have heart failure with a possible infection. Record temperature, breathing changes, weight trends if you already monitor them, urine output, and swelling, but do not delay help while collecting details.

Take prescribed medicines as directed unless a clinician tells you otherwise. Do not sharply increase fluids, stop diuretics, or take anti-inflammatory medicines without advice, because fluid balance and kidney function may need careful review during illness. Bring your medicines or an up-to-date list to assessment.

Call emergency services for severe or sudden breathlessness, blue or grey lips, chest pressure, fainting, new confusion, collapse, or inability to speak in full sentences. Urgent assessment is also needed for fever with shaking chills, rapidly worsening weakness, a very fast or irregular heartbeat, or a sudden increase in swelling or breathlessness. Sepsis and heart failure can worsen quickly, so do not wait for a routine chronic disease review.

Ask how to distinguish infection from fluid overload, which medicines to continue during illness, when to check kidney function, and which symptoms should send you directly to emergency care.