What is end-stage heart failure?
End-stage heart failure, also known as chronic heart failure, is a condition in which a weakened heart slowly loses its ability to pump blood through the body efficiently. The weakened heart has to work harder in an attempt to pump the proper amount of blood. To compensate for the higher workload, it may beat faster and enlarge. While this corrective mechanism can temporarily increase pumping capacity, it eventually accelerates the progression of heart failure. A transplant is the only option for survival for most patients with end-stage heart failure.
