Heart failure

Heart failure means that your heart muscle doesn't pump as much blood as your body needs. In time, this causes fluid to build up in your body, and you have symptoms like swelling in the legs and feeling out of breath and weak.

Heart failure usually gets worse over time. But treatment can slow the disease and help you feel better and live longer.

Current as of: December 16, 2019

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Rakesh K. Pai MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine & Stephen Fort MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology

Healthwise
Search the
Healthwise Knowledgebase
Help
Healthwise Index

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.

© 1995-2020 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.