Easy to Miss Early
The body is remarkably good at compensating when the heart begins to struggle.
The heart may initially:
* Beat faster
* Enlarge
* Pump more forcefully
* Trigger blood vessels to narrow
The kidneys may also retain more salt and water to maintain blood pressure.
These responses can temporarily hide symptoms, which helps explain why some people do not realize anything is wrong until the condition becomes more advanced.
## Heart Failure Is Not the Same as a Heart Attack
These two conditions are related but different.
A **heart attack** usually
