Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure is the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to supply the metabolic demands of the body. Heart failure may result either from the heart's inability to effectively contract (systolic heart failure), or from the heart's inability to relax and fill with blood (diastolic heart failure). There are more than 5.7 million people in the US and more than 22 million people world-wide with congestive heart failure (CHF), with over 650,000 new CHF diagnoses each year in the US. CHF was the primary reason for 3.4MM outpatient physician visits in the US in 2006. Furthermore, the prevalence of CHF is expected to rise in the coming decades due to the aging of the world's population. The prognosis for patients with CHF remains poor, with a 5-year mortality rate of 50% following diagnosis.

The economic impact of the medical care for CHF is substantial, with over $37 billion spent in the US in 2009 for the medical care of heart failure patients.

Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2009 Update. A Report From the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation. 2009; 119:e1-e161