Congestive Heart Failure

Heart failure and depression are related. Depression may independently worsen heart-failure outcomes.

Heart Failure

Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, is a life-threatening condition in which the heart can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body.

American Heart Association. Statistics You Need to Know. Dallas, Tex: American Heart Association; 2005
This substantiates the claim that more than half of all Americans with chronic diseases don’t follow their physician’s medication and lifestyle guidance. Heart disease and stroke can often be prevented, but these diseases remain the number 1 and number 3 killers of Americans, and the demand for treatments continues to grow. From 1979 to 2002, the number of cardiovascular operations and procedures increased 470%. The failure of patients to follow medical advice unquestionably contributes to this problem.