Definition

Heart Failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood efficiently to the body. Either the heart cannot fill with enough blood, it cannot pump with enough force, or sometimes both. Approximately 5.7 million people in the United States have heart failure.

Also Known As

  • Congestive heart failure
  • Left-side heart failure
  • Right-side heart failure
  • Cor pulmonale

Types

Right-Sided:

  • The heart cannot pump enough blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen
  • Symptoms: fluid build up (edema) in the feet, ankles, legs, liver, abdomen, and the veins in the neck; shortness of breath; fatigue

Left-Sided:

  • The heart cannot pump enough blood to the body
  • Symptoms: shortness of breath; fatigue

Cor Pulmonale:

Right-side heart failure caused by high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries and right ventricle (lower right heart chamber).

Causes of Heart Failure

Diseases that damage or overwork the heart:

Risk Factors

Prevention

  • Control blood pressure, cholesterol. 
  • Stay at a healthy weight. 
  • Eat a healthy diet. 
  • Get regular exercise. 
  • Limit alcohol. 
  • Don’t smoke. 
  • Manage stress.
  • Manage diabetes. 
  • Make sure that you get enough sleep. 

Vaccines

The CDC recommends that all adults receive:

  • Seasonal flu vaccine (yearly)
  •  Tdap vaccine once, and then a Td (tetanus, diphtheria) booster shot every 10 years.

Heart disease can make it harder to fight off certain diseases or make it more likely to have serious complications from certain diseases. The CDC recommends people with cardiovascular disease also receive:

  • Pneumococcal vaccine (protects against pneumonia)
  • Zoster vaccine (protects against shingles)

COVID-19 and Heart Failure

The CDC has stated that heart failure puts individuals at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 infection.

A systematic review of the recent literature has concluded that those who have contracted even acute COVID-19 are at an increased risk for heart failure up to a year after infection.

Coronavirus: What heart and stroke patients need to know (video)

Resources

Support Groups