---
url: 'https://www.healthinaging.org/a-z-topic/heart-failure'
title: 'Heart Failure'
author:
  name: 'Jennifer Cross'
  url: 'https://www.healthinaging.org/user/102'
date: '2018-11-06T17:01:20+00:00'
updated: '2026-09-30T20:02:20+00:00'
type: topic
summary: 'Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalizations in people over 65. It develops when your heart can’t pump enough blood to provide your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. This is sometimes called congestive heart failure.'
tags:
  - Health
published: true
---
 Heart failure happens when the heart does not pump blood as well as it should. When this happens, the body may not get enough oxygen and nutrients to work properly.

Heart failure used to be called congestive heart failure.



 



 

 [Basic Facts

 ](/a-z-topic/heart-failure/basic-facts) 

 

 [Causes

 ](/a-z-topic/heart-failure/causes) 

 

 [Symptoms

 ](/a-z-topic/heart-failure/symptoms) 

 

 [Diagnosis & Tests

 ](/a-z-topic/heart-failure/tests) 

 

 [Care & Treatment

 ](/a-z-topic/heart-failure/care-treatment) 

 

 [Lifestyle & Management

 ](/a-z-topic/heart-failure/lifestyle)