
Understanding heart failure
Heart failure is a chronic condition affecting millions of patients worldwide, and despite the treatments available, hospitalisation and mortality rates remain high.1
What is heart failure?1,2
Reasons for heart failure1,2
Key facts about heart failure
What are the symptoms for heart failure?
Heart failure diagnosis remains challenging because symptoms are non-specific and at early stages patients do not present any symptoms.2
How is heart failure classified?
The New York Heart Association (NYHA) has a system that helps physicians to classify heart failure patients according to the severity of their symptoms and is split into four categories, called class I, II, III and IV2. The higher the class is, the more patients are limited in their day-to-day activity and the more severe the disease is.
Further information on heart failure diagnosis and its management
References
- 1. World Heart Failure Alliance. White Paper: Heart failure, preventing disease and death worldwide. Web: https://www.escardio.org/static_file/Escardio/Subspecialty/HFA/WHFA-whitepaper-15-May-14.pdf
- 2. American Heart Association. Heart Failure. Web: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartFailure/Heart-Failure_UCM_002019_SubHomePage.jsp
- 3. Cowie, M.R. et al. (2013) Improving care for patients are acute heart failure. Retrieved from: http://www.oxfordhealthpolicyforum.org/reports/acute-heart-failure/improving-care-for-patients-with-acute-heart-failure
- 4. Krumholz HM, et al. (2009). Patterns of hospital performance in acute myocardial infarction and heart failure 30-day mortality and readmission. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes.;2(5):407-413
- 5. Heidenreich PA. et al. (2013). Forecasting the Impact of Heart Failure in the United States. A Policy Statement from the American Heart Association. Circ Heart Fail. 6:00-00