Heart Failure Defined

The term heart failure has recently been discussed in the news. It was reported this past December that the celebrated singer, Natalie Cole, passed away from pulmonary hypertension that led to heart failure and recently, former first lady, Nancy Reagan, passed away from the same condition.

The medical community has excelled in treating heart disease, but heart failure is one of the heart conditions in which significant advances have not occurred. Heart failure does not mean that the heart has suddenly stopped working. Heart failure occurs when the heart, a muscle about the size of a fist, cannot meet the physiological demands of the body.

The symptoms of heart failure are very dramatic and include shortness of breath, swelling of the legs and feet, and difficult breathing when lying down. A major contributor to heart failure is uncontrolled blood pressure that has occurred for many years. Uncontrolled diabetes and obesity also play a role in developing this insidious medical problem.