Heart failure is a lifelong (chronic) disease that can get worse over time. Playing an active part in your care is key. Use our tips and tools to help you live better with heart failure.
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Heart Failure
If you have – or think you may have – heart failure, it's normal to feel unsure or scared. But you're not alone. Nearly 6.7 million American adults have heart failure.
Contrary to how it sounds, heart failure doesn’t mean that your heart has stopped beating. It refers to several conditions that make it harder for your heart to fill with or pump blood or that change its structure.
Over time, heart failure makes it harder for the heart to push enough oxygen-rich blood out to meet your body's needs. That's why many people feel short of breath and tired with activity – even when climbing the stairs or carrying groceries. Your symptoms will depend on which type of heart failure you have.
Heart failure is grouped based on your ejection fraction (EF), a measure of how well the heart is working to squeeze blood out of the heart with each beat (a normal EF is over 50%). Knowing which type of heart failure you have – heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) or types in between – can help you and your care team decide which treatments are best for you.
Because heart failure is a lifelong condition, taking an active role in your care is important. The more informed and equipped you are to manage heart failure, the better you may feel.
Use this condition center to learn more about the types of heart failure, symptoms, treatment options, and how to manage it on a day-to-day basis to help you feel your best.
Living With Heart Failure
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- Last Edited 12/19/2025