There is also evidence that other factors such as nitric oxide and endothelin (both of which are increased in heart failure) may play a role in the pathogenesis of heart failure. As such, it can be caused by a wide number of conditions, including myocardial infarction (in which the heart muscle is starved of oxygen and dies), hypertension (which increases the force of contraction needed to pump blood) and amyloidosis(in which misfolded proteins are deposited in the heart muscle, causing it to stiffen). Heart failure develops when the heart, via an abnormality of cardiac function (detectable or not), fails to pump blood at a rate commensurate with the requirements of the metabolizing tissues or is able to do so only with an elevated diastolic filling pressure. Clinically, heart failure can be defined as an impaired cardiac performance, unable to meet the energy requirements of the periphery. Common etiology is mostly represented by ischemic and hypertensive heart disease. Over time these increases in workload will produce changes to t… There are multiple etiologies leading to this final common clinical pathway, which carries a 50% 5-year mortality rate and is responsible for over one third of all deaths in the United States from cardiovascular causes [3]. Rather, it represents a constellation of signs and symptoms resulting from the inability of the heart to pump blood forward at a sufficient rate to meet the metabolic demands of the body (forward failure) or the ability to do so only if the cardiac filling pressures are abnormally high (backward failure), or both. The main pathophysiology of heart failure is a reduction in the efficiency of the heart muscle, through damage or overloading. Heart failure (HF) describes the complex clinical syndrome where the heart is incapable of maintaining a cardiac output (CO) that is adequate to meet metabolic requirements and accommodate venous return [1], [2]. Acute heart failure (AHF) is a relevant public health problem causing the majority of unplanned hospital admissions in patients aged of 65 years or more. Pa … Heart failure, sometimes known as congestive heart failure, occurs when your heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should. See the image below.

Often, it is the final and most severe manifestation of almost any form o… Heart failure is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Western countries. It is important to note that heart failure is not a diagnosis. Therefore, it is important to understand the pathophysiology of heart failure because it serves as the rationale for therapeutic intervention. This common condition affects over 5 million people in the United States at a cost of $10–38 billion per year. Heart failure is a clinical syndrome that results when the heart is unable to provide sufficient blood flow to meet metabolic requirements or accommodate systemic venous return. Certain conditions, such as narrowed arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease) or high blood pressure, gradually leave your heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump efficiently.Not all conditions that lead to heart failure can be reversed, but treatments can improve the signs and symptoms of heart failure and help you live longer.