Heart Failure Archive

Heart failure (when the heart can’t pump or fill with blood effectively) stems from a range of conditions that weaken or stiffen the heart. Heart failure is described and classified by what part of the heart is affected and the severity of symptoms.

People who maintain or improve their heart-related risks over time are less likely to develop calcification of the aortic valve, which may lead to aortic stenosis.

Sudden gasps for air at night can be alarming. Explore how allergies, blocked airways, or more serious sleep and heart problems might be involved.

Certain diuretics flush out both water and potassium, but not everyone needs extra. Your doctor will consider blood test results and which other medications you're taking to determine the safest approach.

After menopause, women develop heart failure at rates similar to men. But women tend to develop heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which leads to more frequent hospitalizations. Women also have different risk factors for heart failure than men.

A 2025 study suggests that more than 99% of people who have a first-time heart attack, stroke, or heart failure have at least one of four risk factors: unhealthy blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar levels, or past or present smoking.

Older adults are especially vulnerable to heat-related ailments like heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The primary reason is biological, as aging bodies can't maintain a steady internal body temperature when external conditions change. Heart conditions and heart medications can add to the problem. Older adults can protect themselves from heat ailments by taking standard precautions during hot weather and recognizing the early symptoms of ailments so they can seek immediate treatment.

A 2025 study found that people who are sedentary for 10.6 hours per day or more may face a higher risk of heart failure or dying from heart disease-even if they follow recommended exercise guidelines. Uninterrupted sitting has harmful effects on metabolism, leading the body to burn fewer calories and less fat. It can also cause blood sugar levels to rise, triggering the release of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Over time, sedentary habits cause the body to become less sensitive to insulin. The resulting insulin resistance promotes inflammation, a key player in the buildup of fatty plaque inside arteries.

Evidence published in 2025 suggests that 15 million people in the United States are at risk for developing heart failure, a condition in which the heart doesn't pump well enough to meet the body's needs. The estimate was determined with improved tools to calculate risk, called the PREVENT equations. Like previous methods, the equations consider age, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and smoking history. But the PREVENT equations remove race (an unreliable predictor) and add additional aspects of health.