ABSTRACT Objectives: to evaluate the prevalence of symptoms in heart failure patients and to investigate the relationship between symptoms, functional capacity and performance. Methods: cross-sectional study, developed at a hospital specializing in cardiology. The sample (n=170) consisted of patients with heart failure, assessed by means of a sociodemographic form, New York Heart Association Functional Class, Edmonton Symptom Rating Scale and Karnofsky Physical Performance Scale. Analyzes were performed using Spearman’s Correlation and Pearson’s Chi-Square test. Results: dyspnea, fatigue and edema were the main symptoms that led to the search for health services. During hospitalization, the main symptoms were anxiety, sleep disturbance and sadness. Weak negative correlations were observed between functionality, functional class, and symptom overload. Conclusions: the prevalence of symptoms was high and changed throughout the hospitalization period. Patients with poorer functional capacity and poorer performance had greater symptom overload.