Clinical Need
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a serious condition in which the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, about 5 million people in the United States alone have heart failure, and another 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. CHF contributes to or causes about 300,000 deaths annually. The disease is most common in people age 65 or older, women and African Americans. The most common symptoms of heart failure are shortness of breath, feeling tired, and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, and sometimes the abdomen. There is no cure for CHF. |
