A father has shared the subtle warning signs of heart failure he initially brushed off as “anxiety,” as he encourages others to take symptoms seriously.
Alex Balmes, 32, from Orlando, is speaking out to remind people that heart failure can affect younger adults too — not only the elderly.
Data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests around 6.7 million Americans aged 20 and over are living with heart failure. Because symptoms can be mild or vague at first, many people don’t realize anything is wrong.
Early indicators are often mistaken for everyday issues such as stress, a minor bug, or changes in routine — yet the condition contributes to hundreds of thousands of deaths each year.
Heart failure occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood and oxygen to meet the body’s needs. It doesn’t mean the heart has stopped, but it can become dangerous quickly if it worsens.
“Once the patient is hospitalized for heart failure, the risk of death and rehospitalization goes up dramatically,” Dr. John Jefferies, a board-certified cardiologist, said speaking to the New York Post.
Balmes said his own symptoms included tiredness, breathlessness, weight gain, and bloating. After downplaying the signs at first, he ultimately needed surgery to support his heart function.
He underwent implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) — a battery-powered pump placed in the chest to help circulate blood throughout the body.
The device is intended as a short-term solution while he waits for a heart transplant.
Most people recover from an LVAD procedure in about three months.
Dr. Jefferies added that several health and lifestyle factors can raise the likelihood of heart failure, such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, and frequent alcohol use.
He explained: “Much of what we are trying to accomplish is preservation of existing heart muscle function by stabilizing the condition through medical therapy and other interventions, along with lifestyle modifications.”
Balmes says he’s now able to be active with his young daughter again, but he also recognizes others don’t always get the same outcome.
Speaking with Orlando Health, he said: “I’ve just got to slow it down a little bit.
“I try to say, at least for me so young, I just got older faster.”
Doctors advise that anyone experiencing possible “silent” symptoms — including fatigue, unexplained weight gain, shortness of breath, bloating, or an irregular heartbeat — should arrange a check-up with a cardiologist.