Heart failure (HF) is a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. Although the term sounds severe, HF does not mean your heart has stopped — it just means your heart might be too weak or stiff to pump properly.
UPMC is among the nation’s leading heart failure programs. We offer standard and minimally invasive procedures to treat HF and other serious heart conditions.
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Doctors define heart failure as a condition that occurs when your heart isn’t pumping as strongly or effectively as it should be.
The two most common types of heart failure are:
According to the American Heart Association, more than 6 million people in the United States are living with heart failure. It's the most common reason for older adults to go to the hospital.
Heart failure is most often caused by coronary artery disease or prolonged high blood pressure.
Pulmonary hypertension — buildup of pressure in the arteries traveling from the heart to the lungs — can also cause HF.
Heart failure is more likely to happen as you age, but anyone can develop heart failure. Risk factors for developing heart failure include:
Although many people can live well and comfortably with treatment of their heart failure, some patients continue to decline despite treatment. Complications of heart failure can include:
HF is a serious condition that affects your heart’s ability to pump blood to your body. If left untreated, HF can result in severe symptoms, hospitalization, and even death. If you’ve been diagnosed with HF, it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions for your care.
Preventing heart disease, heart damage, and chronic conditions can reduce your risk of having heart failure. To lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels:
It can be difficult to distinguish the symptoms of heart failure from other medical conditions. Some people who have heart failure do not have any symptoms, but other people experience symptoms that range from mild to severe. Heart failure symptoms may include:
You should schedule an appointment with your doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of heart failure. If your symptoms are severe, visit the nearest hospital emergency room or dial 911.
If you have already been diagnosed with heart failure and develop a new symptom or your symptoms get worse, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.
Diagnosing HF begins with a physical exam and review of your symptoms and medical history.
During your visit, your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for:
Your doctor will also perform a physical exam, including looking at your neck veins and checking for fluid retention (edema). Your doctor may order additional tests to confirm a heart failure diagnosis.
Tests your doctor may use to diagnose HF include:
Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to expect your test results and will call you when they're available.
With proper treatment, many heart failure patients can live healthy lives for years. You can play an important role in keeping yourself healthy.
How long you live depends on your overall health, your health history, your heart failure symptoms, and how fast your condition progresses. Your doctor will discuss your prognosis and life expectancy with you.
Our team of HF experts will work with you and your family to develop a plan to help you live with heart failure. The goal of heart failure treatment is to reduce the strain on your heart while maintaining your quality of life. Your treatment plan may include:
Your doctor will work with you to help you quit smoking, exercise, manage your weight, and adopt a heart-healthy diet to ease the workload for your heart. This may include referral to a cardiac rehabilitation program, smoking cessation program, or a nutrition or weight loss center referral.
Medications have been proven to reduce symptoms and complications of HF while keeping patients out of the hospital and extending life expectancy. Managing heart failure with medications is a time-tested strategy that has helped people live better lives for years.
Your doctor will prescribe a combination of medication to manage your heart failure. The group of medications used to treat heart failure is often called quadruple therapy or guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT).
Although every medicine has potential side effects, the risks are usually not as serious as leaving HF untreated. Never stop taking medications without talking to your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe medications including:
How do beta blockers work?
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Only one of these can be taken from the CE, ARB, and ARNi.
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If you are living with heart failure, your doctor will help you determine the best way to monitor your condition and reduce your chance of future hospitalizations.
Doctors recommend that people with heart failure develop good self-management skills to help them manage their condition. These self-management skills include:
Select patients may be eligible for the CardioMEMS™ HF System. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2014, the system uses a small sensor implanted in your pulmonary artery and an external electronic system to transmit information directly to your doctor's office.
With the CardioMEMS™ HF System, you take daily readings of your pulmonary artery pressure from home. The readings are delivered securely to your doctor's office through an external electronic system. These readings can help your doctor determine if your condition is getting worse before you have symptoms. Your doctor can then adjust your medication or treatment plan and help you avoid hospitalization.
If other treatments have not helped to manage your heart failure, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure. Surgical treatment options include:
UPMC specialists offer palliative care, which helps to treat symptoms of heart failure and side effects of treatment. Our team also offers comprehensive, compassionate end-of-life care, if necessary.
Following your doctor’s treatment plan and instructions for managing your condition can go a long way toward helping you live a healthy life with heart failure.
The chance of recovery from HF depends on the amount of damage to your heart, the cause of your condition, your overall health, and other factors. With treatment, it is possible for your heart to recover some — or even all — of its pumping ability. However, many people with heart failure need lifelong HF treatment.
It is possible to improve the symptoms of HF. The goal in treating heart failure aggressively is to have patients return to as close to their level of activity as they can. To effectively manage your condition, be sure to follow all your doctor’s treatment recommendations, get routine follow-up care, and report any changes in your health or symptoms to your doctor.
When you choose UPMC for your heart failure treatment, you will receive expert care from a team of highly qualified heart failure specialists. Your doctors will provide you with a personalized treatment plan, access to the latest therapies, and opportunities to participate in research.
Your care will include:
Last reviewed by Jennifer Kliner, CRNP on 2024-10-01.
