Heart failure
hideHeart failure (HF) is a condition in which a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. It should not be confused with cardiac arrest (see Terminology, below).
Common causes of heart failure include myocardial infarction and other forms of ischemic heart disease, hypertension, valvular heart disease and cardiomyopathy. Heart failure can cause a large variety of symptoms such as shortness of breath (typically worse when lying flat, which is called orthopnea), coughing, ankle swelling and reduced exercise capacity. Heart failure is often undiagnosed due to a lack of a universally agreed definition and challenges in definitive diagnosis. Treatment commonly consists of lifestyle measures (such as decreased salt intake) and medications, and sometimes devices or even surgery.
Heart failure is a common, costly, disabling and deadly condition. In developing countries, around 2% of adults suffer from heart failure, but in those over the age of 65, this increases to 6—10%. Mostly due to costs of hospitalization, it is associated with a high health expenditure; costs have been estimated to amount to 2% of the total budget of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, and more than $35 billion in the United States. Heart failure is associated with significantly reduced physical and mental health, resulting in a markedly decreased quality of life. With the exception of heart failure caused by reversible conditions, the condition usually worsens with time. Although some patients survive many years, progressive disease is associated with an overall annual mortality rate of 10%.
For more information about Heart failure, read the full article at
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News tagged with congestive heart failure
Hospital report cards do not appear to result in significant improvements
Nov 18, 2009 |
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An analysis of quality of cardiac care following the public release of data on measures of care at hospitals in Ontario, Canada, did not result in significant systemwide improvement in hospitals' performance on most quality ...
Canadian cardiology team clears the way for lifesaving breast cancer treatment
Oct 26, 2009 |
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A team of Canadian cardiologists, in collaboration with oncologists, are playing an important role in the war against breast cancer Dr. Michael McDonald told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009, co-hosted by the Heart ...
New mathematical model more accurately diagnoses acute heart failure in emergency rooms
Oct 15, 2009 |
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Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital have developed the first mathematical model in cardiology and emergency medicine to more quickly and reliably diagnose acute heart failure (AHF) in emergency room patients. Research findings ...
Half of eligible patients not getting mitral valve surgery, study
Sep 11, 2009 |
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Overblown fears about surgical risk and lack of awareness about the risk of not operating are among the reasons only half of eligible patients were referred for mitral valve repair, according to a study by doctors at the ...
Endothelin drugs benefit those with pulmonary hypertension
Sep 10, 2009 |
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Recent research to block the effects of endothelin, a powerful substance that constricts blood vessels and stimulates cell growth, has led to successful treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and provides hope for treating ...
Link found between depression, early stages of chronic kidney disease
Sep 08, 2009 |
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One in five patients with chronic kidney disease is depressed, even before beginning long-term dialysis therapy or developing end-stage renal disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.
Chronic kidney disease profoundly impacts quality of life
Jul 30, 2009 |
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Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can significantly lessen patients' quality of life, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). Certain types of pati ...
New method for detecting nitroxyl will boost cardiac drug research
Jul 06, 2009 |
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Wake Forest University scientists have developed a new research tool in the pursuit of heart medications based on the compound nitroxyl by identifying unique chemical markers for its presence in biological ...
New way to fix leaking mitral heart valves safe in initial testing
Jun 24, 2009 |
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A new nonsurgical technique to repair leaking mitral valves in heart failure patients was safe in a study reported in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.
Anemia associated with greater risk of death in heart disease patients
May 28, 2009 |
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May 28, 2009 - A new study appearing in Congestive Heart Failure has found that the presence of anemia in patients with chronic heart failure is associated with a significantly increased risk of death. The findings also s ...
Acute respiratory disease poses significantly greater risk for black Americans
May 19, 2009 |
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Black Americans are nearly twice as likely to develop acute lung injury, or ALI, as white Americans, according to researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. The study also revealed that black patients ...
Waist size predictor of heart failure in men and women
Apr 08, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Adding to the growing evidence that a person’s waist size is an important indicator of heart health, a study led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has found ...
