Heart Failure Stages
Topic Overview
The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have devised a classification system for heart failure. It categorizes heart failure based on how the disease progresses in most people. Under this system, heart failure is classified by stages A through D.footnote 1
Stages of heart failure
Stage
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Definition
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Examples
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A
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Person is at high risk for developing heart failure. But there is no structural disorder of the heart.
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Person has high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, diabetes, a history of substance use disorder, a personal history of rheumatic fever, or a family history of cardiomyopathy.
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B
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Person has a structural disorder of the heart. But the person has never had symptoms of heart failure.
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Person has structural changes to the left ventricle, has heart valve disease, or has had a heart attack.
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C
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Person has past or current symptoms of heart failure. Symptoms are linked with underlying structural heart disease.
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Person has shortness of breath or fatigue caused by structural heart disease. Or the person does not have symptoms and is getting treatment for prior symptoms of heart failure.
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D
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Person has end-stage disease. He or she needs specialized treatment strategies.
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Person is often hospitalized for heart failure or cannot be safely discharged from the hospital. Or the person is in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant. Or the person is at home getting continuous intravenous support for symptom relief or being supported with a mechanical circulatory assistive device. Or the person is in a hospice setting for the management of heart failure.
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References
Citations
- Yancy CW, et al. (2013). 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the management of heart failure: A report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 62(16): e147–e239.
Credits
Current as ofApril 9, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Rakesh K. Pai MD, FACC – Cardiology, Electrophysiology
E. Gregory Thompson MD – Internal Medicine
Martin J. Gabica MD – Family Medicine
Adam Husney MD – Family Medicine
Stephen Fort MD, MRCP, FRCPC – Interventional Cardiology
Current as of: April 9, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Rakesh K. Pai MD, FACC – Cardiology, Electrophysiology & E. Gregory Thompson MD – Internal Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD – Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD – Family Medicine & Stephen Fort MD, MRCP, FRCPC – Interventional Cardiology
Yancy CW, et al. (2013). 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the management of heart failure: A report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 62(16): e147-e239.