Although this medical term conjures up images of a heart suddenly stopping, it in fact refers to a progressive weakening of the organ. It gradually loses its ability to pump enough blood to nourish the body's tissues. People with congestive heart failure suffer from shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling of the legs and ankles. Many eventually die of the disorder. Researchers don't know what causes congestive heart failure.
Drugs can slow or even reverse the damage it causes.
For many people with heart failure, such treatment eases symptoms and may prolong life, but for only a few years. Several groups of researchers are working to improve that prospect. By determining what causes the heart damage, they hope to find ways to intervene. Some of the research groups are tracking an inflammatory protein that they suspect is a culprit in the disease. Others are focusing on an enzyme that participates in the heart's response to hormones.