“Ang heart failure, pag i-translate po natin sa Tagalog, meaning palyado po ang puso. Ang ibig kong sabihin noon ay nag-i-struggle po ang puso or nahihirapan siya mag-sustain ng enough blood or nutrients sa buong parte ng katawan. Alam na po natin na ang puso ay central pumping machine ng katawan natin so dapat malusog po siya kasi siya po ang nagre-receive ng dugong na gamit na at the same time siya rin po ang maglilinis at maglalabas ng dugong malinis sa buong parte ng katawan,” said Dr. Liberty Yaneza, Philippine Heart Center (PHC) Heart Failure (HF) Section head and member of the PHA (Philippine Heart Association) Council on HF.
Dr. Yaneza was the featured specialist during the March 2025 episode of PHA’s Usapang Puso sa Puso (UPP) webinar hosted by Dr. Avenilo “Jun” Aventura Jr., PHA Director I/Advocacy Chair and PHC executive director.
“So kung siya ay palyado, lahat ng organs sa katawan ay affected din po. Ang utak, ang kidney, ang lahat ng internal organs natin, pati sa mga paa ay apektado pag mahina ang pagtibok ng ating puso,” the heart failure specialist added.
HF is a serious health issue in the Philippines. Recent studies showed a prevalence rate of approximately 1.6%, meaning 16 out of every 1,000 adult Filipinos are affected. Heart, hypertensive, or diabetic patients are more at risk of developing HF, or in the long run, advanced HF, a condition where conventional treatments no longer work.
In a third-world country like the Philippines, access to healthcare remains a challenge. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains to be the top leading cause of death worldwide, even in the Philippines. As CVDs can trigger HF, the worst outcome may result in advanced HF. Around 64 million are diagnosed with HF globally.
With long queues of CVD patients in both public and private hospitals, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) urged the public to put diseases of the heart, the blood vessels and stroke at bay. Adhering to healthier lifestyle habits, seeking regular professional consultation, knowing your risks, and heeding the doctors’ advice give one the edge.
PHC Heart Transplant Program needs government funding
Dr. Aventura said heart transplant is the ultimate treatment for advanced HF, which is now available at the PHC, but it costs a whopping sum.
While tertiary hospitals in the country perform liver and kidney transplants, as well as cataract surgery or lens replacement surgery, to date, the PHC is the only hospital that has a Heart Transplant Program which was re-launched last year.
“The heart transplant program needs DOH, LGU support similar to what the kidney transplant program gets,” said Aventura.
“Our heart transplant team is fully trained, including overseas training in Taiwan. We are ready and currently preparing the patient list,” Yanesa said, adding that for the program to be sustainable, all stakeholders—including the government—must be involved.
“It needs full support from the Department of Health and local government units because heart transplant is expensive. Patients need to take lifelong immunosuppressant medication to prevent rejection of the new heart,” she explained.
Aventura pointed out that government support is possible, citing that the country already performs hundreds of kidney transplants annually.
“We also have the kidney transplant. We do hundreds of kidney transplant per year and it is not far away from the cost of having cardiac transplant, so basically that could be a sort of like comparison because if the government was able to give and support kidney institute, they could also support our heart institute,” he said.
Heart Failure: The ‘Great Mimicker’
A HF patient may experience shortness of breath, sometimes making it difficult to lie down comfortably.
Some patients wake up in the middle of the night due to fluid buildup in the lungs, while others experience swelling in the lower extremities, swollen neck veins, fatigue, or loss of appetite.
“HF is a ‘great mimicker’ because symptoms like breathing difficulties are often mistaken for lung problems or other conditions. That is why it is best to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis,” Yaneza said.
The four stages of HF:
• Stage A: No HF yet, but at risk due to conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity.
• Stage B: No symptoms yet, but the heart may already show abnormalities like weakened or thickened heart muscles.
• Stage C: Symptoms start to appear.
• Stage D: Advanced HF where hospitalization is frequent, and medication becomes less effective.
“Some people think they just need more exercise, that they’re gaining weight, or that it is just heartburn. But it is important to see a doctor as early as possible,” Yaneza warned.
Yaneza advised the public to monitor key health indicators, including body mass Index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
Hypertensive individuals should take their maintenance medication regularly, and especially those with risk factors, to exercise, reduce salt intake to 1,500mg (half a teaspoon) per day, minimize sugar and carbohydrates, cut down on fats and cholesterol, and avoid alcohol and smoking.
Establishing HF Clinics
Recognizing the growing burden of HF, the PHA launched the National Heart Failure Network (NHFN) in May 2021 to enhance awareness, patient care, and preventive strategies; and involve multi-specialty doctors, primary care physicians and other health professionals and implement a hub and spoke system.
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| Dr. Erlyn Demerre (standing, 5th from left) with fellow cardiologists and attendees of the PHA Heart Failure Week event in February 2025. |
It is currently chaired by Dr. Erlyn Demerre whose priorities include the establishment of HF clinics and improving patient outcomes. During the Heart Failure Week (February 9, 2025), the PHA held a media launch to expand its advocacy.
The NHFN brings together 18 PHA chapters, 26 training institutions, and healthcare professionals—including primary care physicians and health professionals, who are all bent on thwarting the growing incidence of heart failure in the country.
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