Heart & Vascular:
Conditions

Symptoms

Causes

Heart failure is a common condition that develops over time. As the heart muscle weakens, it works harder to keep blood flowing. As the muscle works harder, it grows and changes shape. This can lead to cardiac dysfunction and symptoms of heart failure. Treatment and management can reduce this risk.

Your doctors will use the American Heart Association’s stages of heart failure to help you better understand your condition and treatment plan:

Stage A — You have heart failure risk factors but no heart disease or symptoms

Stage B — You have heart disease but no symptoms (structural heart changes before symptoms occur)

Stage C — You have structural heart changes and symptoms

Stage D – You have advanced heart disease with continued heart failure

The New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification categories outline physical activity limitations. Your doctor will classify your condition by the severity of your symptoms:

Class I — No limits on physical activity. Ordinary activities don’t cause undue fatigue, palpitations (feeling heart beats), or shortness of breath.

Class II (Mild) — Slight limits on physical activity. You’re comfortable at rest, but ordinary physical activity results in fatigue, palpitations or shortness of breath.

Class III (Moderate) — Serious limits on physical activity. You’re comfortable at rest, but the simplest activities cause fatigue, palpitations or shortness of breath.

Class IV (Severe) — You have discomfort and heart symptoms (fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath) even at rest. Discomfort increases with any physical activity.

The right treatment and a stable care plan can help you control your heart failure. You can live a full and happy life if you take good care of yourself. Manage your condition and pay close attention to your body to reduce your symptoms and need for hospital visits.

Heart failure can improve or worsen over time. Your treatment may need to be adjusted. If your heart function improves, you may need less medicine. If your heart function worsens, you may need more advanced treatment. Either way, small changes can make a big difference in your heart's structure and function.