Skip to main content
American Heart Association Logo
Let’s Talk About Heart Failure
| Topic: What is Heart Failure?
Home
    • Topic: What to Know About Heart Failure
    • What to Know About Heart Failure . 1 of 25
    • What is Heart Failure? . 2 of 25
    • Take Control of Heart Failure . 3 of 25
    • Monitor Symptoms . 4 of 25
    • What Heart Failure Means to Your Body . 5 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 6 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 7 of 25
    • Causes of Heart Failure . 8 of 25
    • Conditions Leading to Heart Failure . 9 of 25
    • Understand Your Diagnosis . 10 of 25
    • Types of Heart Failure . 11 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 12 of 25
    • Labels of Heart Failure . 13 of 25
    • Stages of Heart Failure . 14 of 25
    • Classes of Heart Failure . 15 of 25
    • Understanding Your Heart Failure . 16 of 25
    • Questions to Ask . 17 of 25
    • Ejection Fraction Measurement and Heart Failure . 18 of 25
    • How Can I Improve My Low Ejection Fraction? . 19 of 25
    • Improve EF to Improve Wellbeing . 20 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 4 . 21 of 25
    • Tests for Heart Failure . 22 of 25
    • Useful Results . 23 of 25
    • Quick Quiz 5 . 24 of 25
    • Learn More to Take Control of Your Heart Failure . 25 of 25
    • Topic: Managing Heart Failure with Medication
    • Managing Heart Failure with Medication . 1 of 14
    • Benefits of Heart Failure Medication . 2 of 14
    • Feel Better with the Right Medications . 3 of 14
    • Managing Heart Failure Medications . 4 of 14
    • Taking Your Medications as Directed . 5 of 14
    • Understanding Your Medications . 6 of 14
    • It’s Worth Your Effort . 7 of 14
    • Managing Medication Side Effects and Interactions . 8 of 14
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 9 of 14
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 10 of 14
    • Track Your Symptoms . 11 of 14
    • Medicine Assistance Programs . 12 of 14
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 13 of 14
    • Communication is key . 14 of 14
    • Topic: Taking Control of Your Health Management
    • Taking Control of Your Health Management . 1 of 20
    • Notice Your Symptoms . 2 of 20
    • Track Your Symptoms . 3 of 20
    • Identify Early Symptoms . 4 of 20
    • Know When to Call for Help . 5 of 20
    • No One Knows You Like You Do . 6 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 7 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 8 of 20
    • Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference . 9 of 20
    • Lifestyle Changes for Heart Failure . 10 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 11 of 20
    • Eating a Heart-Healthy Diet . 12 of 20
    • Avoid Hidden Sources of Sodium . 13 of 20
    • Read Food Labels . 14 of 20
    • Ease Into New Habits . 15 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 4 . 16 of 20
    • Increase Your Activity Level . 17 of 20
    • Pay Attention to How You Feel . 18 of 20
    • Quick Quiz 5 . 19 of 20
    • It Takes a Team . 20 of 20
    • Topic: Caring for Your Emotional Well-being
    • Caring for Your Emotional Well-being . 1 of 11
    • Common Feelings After a Diagnosis of Heart Failure . 2 of 11
    • Recognizing Emotions After a Diagnosis of Heart Failure . 3 of 11
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 4 of 11
    • Take Charge . 5 of 11
    • What Can I Do? . 6 of 11
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 7 of 11
    • What Can My Doctor Do? . 8 of 11
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 9 of 11
    • Quick Quiz 4 . 10 of 11
    • Take Action to Ensure Your Quality of Life . 11 of 11
    • Topic: What to Expect During an Office Visit
    • What to Expect During an Office Visit . 1 of 15
    • Physical Examination . 2 of 15
    • What to Expect at the Exam . 3 of 15
    • Tips for a Successful Exam . 4 of 15
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 5 of 15
    • Testing Provides Insights . 6 of 15
    • Common Tests for Heart Failure . 7 of 15
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 8 of 15
    • Your Healthcare Team . 9 of 15
    • Members of Your Healthcare Team . 10 of 15
    • You Play an Important Role . 11 of 15
    • Partnering in Your Treatment . 12 of 15
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 13 of 15
    • Quick Quiz 4 . 14 of 15
    • Work Together . 15 of 15
    • Topic: What to Know About Advanced Heart Failure
    • What to Know About Advanced Heart Failure . 1 of 21
    • What is Advanced Heart Failure? . 2 of 21
    • Learn About Your Options . 3 of 21
    • What are My Treatment Options for Advanced Heart Failure? . 4 of 21
    • Temporary Therapies for Advanced Heart Failure . 5 of 21
    • Heart Transplant . 6 of 21
    • You Have Options . 7 of 21
    • Quick Quiz 1 . 8 of 21
    • Shared Decision Making . 9 of 21
    • Advance Care Planning . 10 of 21
    • Advance Care Plan Documents . 11 of 21
    • Advanced Heart Failure Care Options . 12 of 21
    • End of Life Care . 13 of 21
    • Quick Quiz 2 . 14 of 21
    • Quick Quiz 3 . 15 of 21
    • Reduce Uncertainty by Preparing . 16 of 21
    • Survey Question 1 . 17 of 21
    • Survey Question 2 . 18 of 21
    • Survey Question 3 . 19 of 21
    • Survey Question 4 . 20 of 21
    • Survey Question 5 . 21 of 21
    • Other Modules in This Series
    • Let's Talk About Blood Pressure
    • Let’s Talk About Diabetes, Heart Disease, & Stroke
    • Let’s Talk About LDL Cholesterol

What is Heart Failure?

Explore each section to learn more.

Slide 1 of 3

Many people believe that heart failure means that the heart has stopped or is about to stop, but that's not true.

Heart failure simply means that the heart is not pumping blood through the body as well as it should.

Slide 2 of 3

As the heart’s pumping action weakens, blood backs up into the blood vessels around the lungs and causes seepage of fluid into the lungs. The fluid causes congestion and makes it hard to breathe.

Slide 3 of 3

Sometimes the heart pumping is normal but there is an increase in pressure inside the heart. This can also cause problems with breathing.

Many people with heart failure also have swollen legs and feet. That is why heart failure is sometimes called congestive heart failure.

  1. Slide number 1
  2. Slide number 2
  3. Slide number 3
Source
Back
2 of 106
Next