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Heart failure at 30: Symptoms were mistaken for anxiety
Summary
A 30-year-old man’s shortness of breath, bloating and jitters were diagnosed in 2024 as late-stage heart failure, and he later received a left ventricular assist device while awaiting a transplant.
Content
Alex Balmes, age 30, experienced shortness of breath, bloating, weight gain and jitteriness and initially attributed the changes to anxiety and daily life. An emergency room visit in 2024 led to a diagnosis of late-stage heart failure. Medications did not control his condition and he spent months in and out of the hospital. He received a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and is awaiting a heart transplant.
Key facts:
- Balmes reported symptoms commonly linked to anxiety, including a racing heart, fatigue and trouble breathing while lying flat.
- An ER diagnosis in 2024 identified late-stage heart failure after symptoms persisted despite medication.
- He was implanted with an LVAD to support his heart’s pumping function and is on the transplant waiting list.
- His cardiologist noted an increasing number of younger patients with heart failure and highlighted the overlap between cardiac symptoms and anxiety.
Summary:
The story illustrates that heart failure can appear in younger adults and may present with symptoms people commonly dismiss as anxiety. Balmes is currently living with an LVAD while awaiting a possible heart transplant.
