Significant risk of heart failure among US population

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows that heart failure is a significant cause of illness and mortality among the population.
In heart failure, the weakened and enlarged heart is no longer up to the task of pumping blood efficiently around the body. As the population ages, experts have pointed out that heart failure, which can be a very disabling condition, is likely to increase.

A team at the University of Massachusetts has looked at the incidence of heart failure among the local population. They studied a group of 2548 men and women hospitalized for possible heart failure. This revealed that the rate of heart failure among the population is 213 per 100,000. And one in 20 die during the acute hospitalization stage. These people were more likely to be older and to have a history of anemia or stroke. There were various other factors which contributed to mortality, such as having lower serum sodium concentrations. These findings highlight the importance of heart failure and may help doctors pinpoint those at greater risk. Since heart failure is on the increase, more should be done to help those people who develop it.

Source
American Journal of Medicine July 2005 Volume 118 No 7