Fatigue and Exercise Intolerance

This chapter summarizes fatigue and exercise intolerance as well as management strategies for the patient with heart failure (HF). There has been great effort to identify a causal relationship between physiologic changes in the HF syndrome and fatigue. There are multiple co-morbidities that are commonly seen in the HF patient which can contribute to fatigue and exercise intolerance and these disorders are discussed. The chapter also presents the fatigue and exercise intolerance and exercise recommendations. Fatigue and dyspnea are common symptoms in the patient with HF and often worsen with advancing HF. Fatigue probably results from derangements in multiple physiological systems. Guideline recommended medical management of HF and treatment of underlying disorders is important in controlling symptoms. Attention to nutrition and exercise is important when developing a treatment plan.