Conditions and symptoms
What Is Heart Failure? Why Medicine Labels Mention It
Heart failure · say it: HART FAYL-yerAlso written: HF, cardiac failure, HFrEF, HFpEF, Congestive heart failure, CHF
Short answer
Heart failure means the heart is not pumping or filling as well as it should, so it struggles to meet the body's needs. It does not mean the heart has stopped.
What it means
Heart failure is a long-term condition in which the heart muscle is too weak or too stiff to pump blood well. Fluid can build up in the lungs, legs and belly, causing breathlessness, tiredness and ankle swelling. Sudden or fast-worsening breathlessness, or chest pain, needs urgent medical help.
Medicine labels mention heart failure in two ways. Many heart medicines list it as a condition they treat. Other medicines, such as NSAIDs, some diabetes medicines (thiazolidinediones) and some calcium channel blockers, warn that they can cause fluid retention or make heart failure worse, so people with it should check with their doctor first.
Congestive heart failure is an older term for heart failure with fluid build-up. Heart failure is different from a heart attack (a blocked artery) and from cardiac arrest (when the heart stops).
Where you may see it
- 'Warnings' sections of NSAID and some diabetes medicine labels
- 'Indications' sections of heart medicine labels
- Echocardiogram reports and cardiology letters
📄 How it looks on a report
Fluid retention and edema have been observed. Use with caution in patients with heart failure.
🙅 What it does not mean
- It does not mean the heart has stopped or is about to stop.
- It is not the same as a heart attack.
- A label warning does not mean you have heart failure or will get it.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Heart failure”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Heart failure”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Amlodipine
a calcium channel blocker, a type of medicine that relaxes blood vessels
- Atenolol
a beta-blocker (beta-adrenergic blocker). The label describes it as a beta 1-selective, or cardioselective, blocking agent.
- Atorvastatin
a statin, a cholesterol-lowering medicine of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor type
- Bisoprolol Fumarate
a beta-blocker, which the label describes as a synthetic, beta 1-selective (cardioselective) adrenoceptor blocking agent
- Carvedilol
A beta-blocker. The FDA lists it as both an alpha-adrenergic blocker and a beta-adrenergic blocker.
- Citalopram
a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant medicine
- Dapagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a type of diabetes medicine
- Dexamethasone
A corticosteroid, a synthetic adrenocortical steroid medicine that lowers inflammation and suppresses the immune system
- Diclofenac Sodium
A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The FDA class is not listed on the label.
- Empagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a prescription medicine that works on sugar handling in the kidneys
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Heart failure” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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