Heart failure occurs when the heart becomes injured and loses the ability to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. The symptoms of heart failure may be subtle and are often mistaken for normal signs of aging.

Common symptoms of heart failure are:

• Shortness of breath, which can happen even during mild activity
• Difficulty breathing when lying down
• Weight gain with swelling in the legs and ankles from fluid retention
• General fatigue and weakness

Heart failure can occur at any age but is more common in those over 65 years of age. Some common causes of heart failure are coronary artery disease, hypertension, valvular heart disease, viral infections or excessive alcohol consumption. In some instances, family history and other diseases such as diabetes play a contributing role.

Heart failure is a progressive and potentially debilitating disease. With early diagnosis and proper treatment, the outcomes for patients diagnosed with heart failure have improved. Medications have shown to slow disease progression and many advances made in recent years allow patients greater independence and symptom relief.