My mother-in-law is at high risk for...

[MyPinion]

...congestive heart failure--when would we know that it's "not good"? Moreover, what are symptoms that would warrant a trip to the ER....She had a bad cough and chest pain but has emphatically refused to do a thing about it. She smokes like a chimney too, phew...Insight anyone?

[reg]

Heart disease is a traitorous illness. You never really know when it will strike. Sometimes symptoms are very slight that you'd ignore it. Chest pain is certainly a symptom. You may say that the chest pain is brought on by her bad cough but even a continuous fit of coughing may trigger an attack. Even breathlessness induced by congested airway may trigger an attack because it puts pressure on the heart. Other symptoms include stabbing pain in the left arm, breathlessness, numbness and paralysis. Maybe your mother-in-law could be prevailed upon by her own children out of concern for her to get herself to the ER upon the onset of symptoms. Maybe they could also persuade her to stop smoking. It may sound a bit harsh but I used to get into a screaming match with my parents when they refuse to get medical treatment. Now they know the drill and go to the ER when I say they should go.

[carolesuzanne]

Wow, still a smoker, will the CHF will only continue and her breathing will worsen. Get her on some supplemental oxygen now, before it is too late.

[Milica]

Has she been diagnosed with CHF, or is she just at risk? The first sign of CHF would be fatigue, to the point where it will be difficult for her to do her normal daily tasks. Once CHF progresses her body will start to swell up from all the extra fluids she is carrying. The first place you will really see it is in her feet and ankles. Because of all the extra fluids in her body she will have shortness of breath, and she may be urinating more frequently. Symptoms that would warrant a trip to the hospital would be chest pains, pressure in the chest, and shortness of breath.