The first thought that comes to your mind when you hear about “heart failure” is that the heart is no longer working and you can’t do anything about it. But this is not true. In reality, heart failure is a condition in which the heart fails to pump blood to the body as efficiently as it should.

To put it technically, heart failure is a complex condition that impairs the ability of the lower chambers of the heart (called ventricles) to eject blood due to an underlying structural or functional heart problem. The condition develops over time as the heart muscles become weaker or stiffer, which ultimately affects the pumping capacity of the heart.

While the risk of suffering from heart failure increases with age, there are certain factors that can put you at risk even at a young age. These include having a high BMI (body mass index), unhealthy choices such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle, consuming a diet high in saturated and trans fats as well as diseases that damage your heart.

There are various treatment options that can help in heart failure and many people with heart failure live active lives. Medications for heart failure aim to manage the symptoms, improve the quality of life as well as increase the lifespan. In some cases, medical devices, surgery or heart transplant are recommended to help the heart function better.