WHO GETS CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?
Some studies estimate that over 550,000 new cases of heart failure are diagnosed each year, and nearly five million Americans currently suffer from it. As the population ages and as more people are surviving heart attacks, the incidence of heart failure is rising dramatically. Deaths form heart failure increased by 135% between 1979 and 1998. The Elderly Heart failure is the most common reason for hospitalization in the elderly, and as the population ages, the incidence of congestive heart failure is rising dramatically. According to one report, it occurs at a rate of about 10 per 1,000 people after age 65. The positive implication of that report, however is that people are living longer with heart failure. Gender Men are at higher risk for heart failure than women, although the difference narrows with age. Women also have a better survival rate than men do when heart failure is caused by valvular heart disease, high blood pressure, or alcohol abuse. (Some studies indicate that this is
