The causes, consequences, and treatment of left or right heart failure.

ABSTRACT

Chronic heart failure (HF) is a cardiovascular disease of cardinal importance because of several factors a) an increasing occurrence due to the aging of the population, primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events, and modern advances in therapy, b) a bad prognosis around 65% of patients are dead within 5 years of diagnosis, c) a high economic cost HF accounts for 1% to 2% of total health care expenditure. This review focuses on the main causes, consequences in terms of morbidity, mortality and costs and treatment of HF.