What common symptom presents in a patient experiencing right-sided heart failure?

In the context of right-sided heart failure, fatigue is a prominent symptom due to the body's decreased ability to effectively circulate blood. When the right side of the heart struggles to pump blood to the lungs for oxygenation, the overall efficiency of the circulatory system diminishes, leading to reduced oxygen delivery to tissues and muscles. This results in feelings of tiredness and weakness, commonly expressed as fatigue.

While shortness of breath, persistent coughing, and chest pain can also occur in various heart conditions, they are more closely associated with left-sided heart failure or other cardiac issues. In right-sided heart failure, the accumulation of fluid in the body can lead to symptoms such as swelling in the legs and abdomen, which indirectly contribute to feelings of fatigue since patients may experience discomfort. However, it is the overall reduction in cardiac output and oxygenation due to compromised right heart function that most directly links to the symptom of fatigue.