Heart failure is serious, but not fatal. The heart has not stopped, but is unable to pump blood properly because it cannot fill with enough blood or pump with enough force, or both.
Heart failure develops over time as the pumping action of the heart grows weaker. It can affect the left side, the right side, or both sides of the heart.
Most cases involve the left side where the heart can’t pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. With right-sided failure, the heart can’t effectively pump blood to the lungs where the blood picks up oxygen.
The weakening of the heart’s pumping ability causes:
- Blood and fluid to "back up" into the lungs
- The buildup of fluid in the feet, ankles, and legs
- Tiredness and shortness of breath
About 5 million people in the United States have heart failure, and the number is growing. Each year, another 550,000 people are diagnosed for the first time. It contributes to or causes about 300,000 deaths each year.
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