Heart failure

Reviewed by Dr Neal Uren, consultant cardiologist and Dr Reginal Odbert, GP and Dr Patrick Davey, cardiologist

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a disorder in which the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently throughout the body. The oxygen and nutrients in the blood provide the body with the energy it needs to operate efficiently.
Heart failure may affect the left, right, or both sides of the heart. If the left half of the heart fails (left ventricular failure), fluid will build up in the lungs due to congestion of the veins of the lungs.
If the right half of the heart fails (right ventricular failure), general body vein pressure will increase and fluid will accumulate in the body, especially the tissues of the legs and abdominal organs (of these, the liver is the organ most likely to be affected).
Often left heart failure leads to right heart failure causing biventricular failure.