Heart Failure Care in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Heart failure is a long-term condition in which the heart muscle becomes weak or stiff and can’t pump blood and oxygen around the body as well as it should. In people with heart failure, the heart may try to adapt by getting larger or thicker, but over time it can’t contract or relax properly.

When the heart doesn’t pump effectively, fluid can build up in other parts of the body, including the lungs, abdomen (tummy), legs, and ankles. This fluid build-up is a major cause of heart failure symptoms.

In Grand Rapids, MI, heart failure is a common reason for emergency visits and hospital stays at major health systems such as Spectrum Health (Corewell Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, and Mercy Health.

Why Heart Failure Matters in Grand Rapids

Local health and lifestyle factors

Living in Grand Rapids and West Michigan can influence heart health:

  • Cold, icy winters can make breathing problems and heart failure symptoms worse, especially when walking in heavy snow or moving from warm to very cold air.
  • Seasonal changes may affect activity levels, weight, and blood pressure.
  • High rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity in Michigan increase the risk of heart failure.
  • Smoking and vaping, still common in some Kent County neighborhoods, also damage the heart and blood vessels.

The Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health offer programs for blood pressure checks, diabetes education, smoking cessation, and nutrition support that can help lower your risk or manage existing heart failure.

Causes of Heart Failure

Heart failure usually develops because of conditions that damage, weaken, or stiffen the heart over time.

Coronary Heart Disease and Heart Attacks

Coronary heart disease (narrowing of the heart arteries) is a major cause of heart attacks. A heart attack can scar the heart muscle so it no longer pumps blood effectively. This is one of the leading causes of heart failure treated at Grand Rapids hospitals.

Risk factors for coronary heart disease include:

  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes or prediabetes
  • Tobacco smoking or vaping
  • Physical inactivity
  • Overweight or obesity
  • Unhealthy eating pattern (high in salt, sugar, and saturated fat)
  • Excess alcohol intake
  • Depression, anxiety, and social isolation

Other Conditions That Can Lead to Heart Failure

Heart failure can also develop from other heart and medical problems, including:

  • Cardiomyopathy – disease of the heart muscle that affects its function, size, or shape
  • Congenital heart disease – heart abnormalities present from birth that change how blood flows through the heart
  • Myocarditis – inflammation of the heart muscle, often from viral infections
  • Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) – especially fast or irregular rhythms that strain the heart over time
  • Heart valve disease – damaged or leaky valves make the heart work harder
  • Chronic conditions such as long-standing high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, and thyroid disorders
  • Toxins – long-term alcohol misuse or certain illicit drugs
  • Less common conditions such as amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, and some nutritional deficiencies

Cardiologists in Grand Rapids often work as a team with primary care providers and other specialists to identify and treat these underlying causes.

Symptoms of Heart Failure

Heart failure causes symptoms because:

  • The heart can’t supply enough blood and oxygen to muscles and organs
  • Fluid builds up in the lungs and other parts of the body

Common symptoms of heart failure include:

  • New or worsening shortness of breath, especially:
    • During physical activity (climbing Grand Rapids’ hills or stairs, shoveling snow)
    • At night when lying flat
  • Coughing and wheezing
  • Swelling in the ankles, legs, feet, or abdomen (tummy)
  • Sudden or gradual weight gain from fluid retention
  • Fatigue, tiredness, or weakness
  • Fainting or dizziness
  • Heart palpitations (fluttering, racing, pounding, or thumping in the chest)
  • Chest pain or discomfort in the chest, neck, jaw, or arms
  • Loss of appetite, nausea, or feeling full quickly
  • Constipation

Factors That Can Make Heart Failure Symptoms Worse

Several things can trigger a flare-up and increase your chances of needing hospital care at places like Spectrum Health or Trinity Health Grand Rapids:

  • Not taking your heart failure medicines as prescribed
  • Eating too much salt (common in processed and restaurant foods)
  • Drinking too much fluid or alcohol
  • Anaemia (low red blood cell count)
  • Pregnancy
  • Some viral and bacterial infections (especially winter respiratory infections in Michigan)
  • Kidney disease or lung disease

If your symptoms suddenly get worse—such as severe shortness of breath, chest pain, or confusion—call 911 immediately and go to the nearest emergency department.

How Heart Failure Is Diagnosed in Grand Rapids

If your doctor in Grand Rapids suspects heart failure, they may refer you to a cardiologist at Spectrum Health, Metro Health, Mercy Health, or Trinity Health Grand Rapids for evaluation.

Common Tests for Heart Failure

  • Physical examination – listening to your heart and lungs and checking for swelling
  • Blood tests – including tests for kidney function, electrolytes, and heart failure markers (like BNP or NT-proBNP)
  • Chest X-ray – to look for fluid in the lungs and heart size
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG) – records the heart’s electrical activity, checks heart rhythm, and may show if the left ventricle is enlarged
  • Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) – a key test to see how well the heart is pumping and how the valves are working
  • Lung function tests – to check how well your lungs are working
  • Exercise or “stress” tests – to see how your heart responds to physical activity

These tests help your Grand Rapids heart team decide on the best treatment plan for you.

Treatment for Heart Failure

Although heart failure is usually a lifelong condition, many people in Grand Rapids live well for years with the right treatment and support. Treatment focuses on:

  • Reducing symptoms
  • Preventing hospital stays
  • Slowing or stopping the condition from getting worse
  • Improving quality of life

Heart Failure Management Programs in Grand Rapids

Heart failure management programs (also called chronic disease management programs) are offered through major health systems in Grand Rapids. These programs can:

  • Reduce your risk of complications and hospital admissions
  • Help you live longer and feel better
  • Support you in making daily lifestyle and medication changes

Your care team may include:

  • Heart failure nurse
  • Cardiologist
  • Primary care doctor
  • Pharmacist
  • Physiotherapist or exercise specialist
  • Dietitian
  • Psychologist or social worker

When you attend a heart failure management program, you’ll learn about:

  • Your specific type of heart failure
  • How to take and adjust your medicines
  • When to act if your symptoms get worse
  • How to monitor your weight, fluid levels, and salt intake
  • How to make heart-healthy lifestyle changes that fit Michigan’s seasons

Many Grand Rapids health systems now offer home-based and virtual heart failure services using telephone and secure internet platforms, which is especially helpful during winter storms or for people with limited mobility.

If you have heart failure and haven’t been referred to a heart failure management program, ask your Grand Rapids doctor or cardiologist to help you enroll.

Cardiac Rehabilitation and Physical Activity in Grand Rapids

Attending a cardiac rehabilitation program is one of the best things you can do if you have heart failure.

Cardiac rehab programs are available through:

  • Spectrum Health (Corewell Health)
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
  • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
  • Mercy Health and affiliated clinics

What Cardiac Rehabilitation Includes

Cardiac rehab combines:

  • Supervised exercise to improve strength, fitness, and confidence
  • Education sessions about heart-healthy living, stress management, and nutrition
  • Support to help you return to work, family roles, and daily activities

Exercise usually includes activities that make you slightly out of breath but still able to hold a conversation, such as:

  • Walking (indoors at malls or on treadmills during icy Grand Rapids winters)
  • Riding a stationary bike
  • Light resistance exercises using weights or bands

You’ll receive a personalized exercise plan so you can progress at your own pace and adjust for weather, joint pain, or other health conditions.

Many cardiac rehabilitation services in Grand Rapids now offer home-based or virtual options by phone or video, which can be especially useful during snowstorms or for people living outside the city center.

Medicines for Heart Failure

Heart failure medicines are usually long-term and often lifelong. Your doctor may increase the dose over time, even if you feel well. This is to protect your heart and reduce the risk of hospitalizations.

Do not stop taking your heart failure medicines without talking to your Grand Rapids doctor or pharmacist first.

Most people with heart failure take a combination of medicines, which may include:

Common Types of Heart Failure Medicines

  • ACE inhibitors (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors) or
    ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers)

    • Help blood vessels relax
    • Reduce strain on the heart
    • Lower blood pressure

  • ARNIs (angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitors)

    • A newer class of medicine that helps the heart work more efficiently
    • Can reduce hospitalizations and improve survival

  • Beta blockers

    • Slow the heart rate so it can pump more effectively
    • Protect the heart from stress hormones

  • Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs)

    • Help prevent or reduce damage and scarring of the heart muscle
    • Help manage blood pressure and fluid retention

  • SGLT2 inhibitors (sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors)

    • Improve symptoms of heart failure and reduce hospitalizations
    • Also help manage blood sugar in people with diabetes

  • Diuretics (“water tablets”)

    • Help remove extra fluid from your lungs, abdomen, legs, ankles, and feet
    • Increase the amount of urine you produce
    • Reduce swelling and make breathing easier

Your Grand Rapids pharmacist can help you organize your medicines, check for interactions, and suggest tools like pill organizers or reminder apps.

Pacemakers and Other Heart Devices

The heart has its own electrical system that controls each heartbeat. In some people with heart failure, this electrical system doesn’t work properly, leading to abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).

Pacemakers

If you have an abnormal heart rhythm or if the left and right sides of your heart don’t beat together, your cardiologist may recommend a pacemaker.

  • A pacemaker is a small device implanted under the skin of your chest (or sometimes abdomen).
  • Wires from the device connect to your heart.
  • The pacemaker sends small electrical signals to keep your heart beating regularly.

A special type of pacemaker called cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) or biventricular pacemaker helps both sides of the heart beat in sync. Often, this is combined with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (CRT-D).

Most people in Grand Rapids with pacemakers can return to their usual daily activities with only a few short-term restrictions after surgery. You will need regular follow-up appointments at your cardiology clinic to make sure the device is working well.

  • Pacemaker batteries usually last 5–15 years.
  • When the battery runs low, you’ll need a minor procedure in hospital to replace it.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)

An ICD is a small, battery-powered device placed under the skin, usually just below the collarbone. Thin wires connect it to your heart.

  • The ICD continuously monitors your heart rhythm.
  • If it detects a dangerous rhythm, it can deliver a controlled electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat.

Your cardiologist in Grand Rapids will discuss whether an ICD, CRT, or CRT-D device is right for you based on your type of heart failure and your risk of life-threatening arrhythmias.

Surgery and Procedures for Heart Failure

Some people with heart failure may benefit from additional procedures to improve symptoms and quality of life. The type of surgery depends on:

  • The cause of your heart failure
  • How severe your symptoms are
  • Other medical conditions you may have

Common procedures include:

  • Catheter ablation – uses energy to destroy small areas of heart tissue causing abnormal electrical signals and arrhythmias
  • Heart valve surgery – to repair or replace damaged heart valves that are leaking or narrowed
  • Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery – “heart bypass surgery” to improve blood flow to the heart in people with coronary artery disease

Heart Transplant

Only a small number of heart transplants are performed each year in the United States. People in Grand Rapids who may need a transplant are usually referred to specialized transplant centers elsewhere in Michigan or the region. Your local cardiology team will coordinate this referral and help manage your care before and after transplant evaluation.

Living Well With Heart Failure in Grand Rapids

Heart failure management is about more than medicines and procedures. It also includes:

  • Daily monitoring – checking your weight, symptoms, and swelling
  • Healthy eating – limiting salt and processed foods, choosing fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
  • Staying active safely – walking, light indoor exercise during winter, and following your cardiac rehab plan
  • Managing other conditions – such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and depression
  • Avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol

Your Grand Rapids care team can help you create a heart failure action plan, so you know:

  • What your usual (“green zone”) symptoms are
  • What changes (“yellow zone”) mean you should call your doctor
  • What serious symptoms (“red zone”) mean you should call 911 or go to the emergency department

Local resources such as the Kent County Health Department, Grand Rapids Public Health, and major health systems often offer:

  • Nutrition and weight management classes
  • Smoking cessation programs
  • Mental health and counseling services
  • Support groups for people with heart disease and their families

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids, MI

In an emergency—such as severe chest pain, trouble breathing, confusion, or fainting—always call 911.

For ongoing heart failure care and information, you can contact:

  • Your primary care provider (GP)
  • A cardiologist at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, or Mercy Health
  • Heart failure and cardiac rehabilitation clinics within these health systems
  • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health for community programs and screenings

You can also speak with a nurse advice line if your health system offers one, for 24/7 guidance on symptoms and next steps.

Key Points About Heart Failure in Grand Rapids

  • Heart failure happens when the heart can’t pump blood and oxygen effectively, causing many of the symptoms people experience.
  • Coronary heart disease and heart attacks are major causes of heart failure; risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, inactivity, and social isolation.
  • It’s important not to stop or change your heart failure medicines without speaking to your Grand Rapids doctor or pharmacist.
  • Common heart failure medicines include ACE inhibitors or ARBs, ARNIs, beta blockers, MRAs, SGLT2 inhibitors, and diuretics.
  • Heart failure management programs and cardiac rehabilitation offered through Grand Rapids health systems can improve quality of life, reduce hospital stays, and help you live longer.

If you live in or around Grand Rapids, MI and have symptoms of heart failure or concerns about your heart health, schedule an appointment with your doctor or a local cardiologist for evaluation and support.