5 Million Americans Suffer From Heart Failure, an Often Misunder

5 MILLION AMERICANS SUFFER FROM HEART FAILURE, AN OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD CONDITION THAT WARRANTS MORE ATTENTION

New Education Program, Fight Against Heart Failure, raises awareness of common symptoms and helps heart failure patients and their caregivers learn the Four Ways Every Day to manage the condition to stay healthy and out of the hospital

Heart failure affects over 5 million Americans and causes or contributes to more than 300,000 deaths per year. Heart failure is a chronic, progressive, often misunderstood condition in which a weakened or damaged heart cannot pump blood through the body as well as it should. Many people with heart failure do not know that they have it. In fact, heart failure often goes unnoticed for so long that patients find themselves gasping for breath in the emergency room before they are diagnosed. It is important to recognize the common symptoms of heart failure and to get treatment immediately. In addition, preventing heart failure is critical. Certain risk factors, such as hypertension, can weaken the heart and lead to heart failure. If people lead a healthy, active life beginning at a young age, they often can avoid these risk factors and prevent getting heart failure.