Established in 1994 by a group of physicians and scientists, the Heart Failure Society of America is comprised of more than 1,500 physicians, scientists, nurses, pharmacists and other allied health professionals dedicated to understanding the disease process and continuing to explore ways to extend and improve quality of life through new treatment modalities. Congestive heart failure is not a heart attack, rather, it is a disease in which the heart muscle weakens and as a result hinders the ability of the heart to efficiently pump blood. In some cases, this weakening can be caused as a result of a heart attack, but in many cases the coronary arteries are normal.
Heart failure is a disease of epidemic proportions.
Approximately 4.6 million Americans are currently living with congestive heart failure. It is estimated that 450,000 cases will be diagnosed this year alone. Less than 50 percent of patients are living five years after their initial diagnosis and less than 25 percent are alive at 10 years. Poor prognosis can be attributed to a limited understanding of how the heart weakens and insufficient private and government funding.