Written By: N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe | Updated : November 14, 2025 2:42 PM IST
Heart Failure is a chronic disease that affects about 64 million people worldwide. This condition occurs when your heart does not pump blood as it should. "Your body depends on the heart's pumping action to deliver oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the body's cells. With heart failure, the weakened heart can't supply the cells with enough blood," World Heart Federation (WHF) explains. "This results in fatigue and shortness of breath. Some people have excessive coughing. Everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries can become very difficult."
Offering a glimpse of hope, a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) highlights that use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications may reduce the risk of hospitalization and all-cause mortality by over 40% in individuals suffering from type-2 diabetes with severe forms of Heart Failure.
Certain medical conditions can cause heart failure but many lifestyle factors can also contribute to the increased risk of heart failure. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) some lifestyle factors that can result in heart failure include smoking, being obese or overweight, alcohol or drug abuse, and certain types of radiation and chemotherapy.
The heart association also claims that black people have 19% higher risk of getting heart failure than white people. Additionally, studies have also shown that Hispanic people have multiple heart failure factors.
There are many types of heart failure but the most common ones are left-sided heart failure, right-sided heart failure, and biventricular heart failure, which is a combination of left-sided and right-sided heart failure.
Johns Hopkins states that clinicians may describe the severity of heart failure based on symptoms. It states that people with acute heart failure are individuals who have "active symptoms of heart failure, with either a new diagnosis or with long-term (chronic) heart failure" and chronic heart failure individuals are those who "have a history of heart failure, but your condition is relatively stable with no symptoms or with manageable symptoms."
The Johns Hopkins Medicine claims that heart failure occurs suddenly or develops over time giving warning signs. The most common symptoms include shortness of breath and swelling in the lower body.
New study suggests that use of GLP-1 drug may reduce the risk of heart failure by over 40%.
Diabetes that can't be controlled can lead to severe health problems including heart disease , kidney failure and blindness.
Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, reduces strain on the heart, and lowers the risk of heart failure.
A sudden weight gain of 2–5 pounds in a few days can be a warning sign. This often indicates fluid buildup due to poor heart function.
