What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a progressive condition that occurs when the heart is not able to fully fill with blood and/or pump blood effectively. It is also known as “congestive heart failure”. The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association have jointly identified four stages of heart failure. Stage A (at risk for HF) and stage B (pre-HF) occur when the heart begins to structurally and functionally change without symptoms. Most people are diagnosed with heart failure when the disease has progressed to stages C (symptomatic HF), when symptoms start to occur, or D (advanced HF).^[1] The most common risk factors for heart failure are metabolic syndrome, obesity, coronary artery disease, and hypertension.