heart failure

American  

noun

1. a condition in which the heart fatally ceases to function.

2. Also called congestive heart failure.  a condition in which the heart fails to pump adequate amounts of blood to the tissues, resulting in accumulation of blood returning to the heart from the veins, and often accompanied by distension of the ventricles, edema, and shortness of breath.

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heart failure British  

noun

1. a condition in which the heart is unable to pump an adequate amount of blood to the tissues, usually resulting in breathlessness, swollen ankles, etc

2. sudden and permanent cessation of the heartbeat, resulting in death

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heart failure Scientific  

1. An acute or chronic inability of the heart to maintain adequate blood circulation to the peripheral tissues and the lungs, usually characterized by fatigue, edema, and shortness of breath. Heart failure has many causes, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and cardiomyopathy.

2. Also called congestive heart failure

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Etymology

Origin of heart failure

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

His daughter Lua Crofts Faragher told the New York Times the cause of death was heart failure.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Women experiencing heart attacks, heart failure, atrial fibrillation or stroke require timely and high quality treatment.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

For chronic conditions like atrial fibrillation and heart failure, care plans should reflect factors unique to women.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

"He's stable now but it's daunting how rapidly it can go into heart failure - it could be weeks, or years," his mother said.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

The announcement in the paper states that Hector Bowen, better known as Prospero the Enchanter, entertainer and stage magician of great renown, died of heart failure in his home on the fifteenth of March.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern