Congestive heart failure is where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. It kills many people every year. A variety of medicines has been developed to treat it, but more are still needed. Many approaches are being explored and trials are underway with a variety of new treatments that may help people live longer and with a better quality of life.
Disease: Congestive Heart Failure
Last update: June 2008
Intro
FAQ: What is it?
Congestive Heart Failure is defined as the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the body's requirements. Commonly it results from some other disease such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease or a prior heart attack. Initially, as the heart weakens, the body tries to compensate by releasing a variety of chemicals called 'neurohormones';. However, this further damages the heart and leads to changes in its structure that are ultimately fatal.