Heart failure doesn’t mean the heart has stopped working. 

Rather, heart failure is a condition where the heart becomes is too weak or stiff to pump blood effectively.

Heart failure is a serious but manageable condition. With proper treatment, medications, and lifestyle adjustments, patients can continue to live full and active lives. Early diagnosis and consistent care are key to preventing complications. 

A variety of treatment methods are available to manage and prevent one’s condition from progressing.

Heart failure is usually treated with lifestyle changes, medicines and procedures or surgeries.

Severe or end-stage heart failure patients whose heart muscles cannot be treated with conventional medication and procedures are usually also considered for mechanical assist devices.

Related articles:
Heart Failure Programme

Living Well With Heart Failure

Advances In Heart Failure

Dr Jeremy Chai is an Associate Consultant with the Department of Cardiology at National Heart Centre Singapore.

He attained his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and later, obtained his Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP, UK) as well as Master of Medicine (MMed), NUS.

Dr Chai received the SingHealth Associate in Education Award from SingHealth Academy in 2022. Dr Chai's clinical interests are in echocardiography, heart failure and cardiac rehabilitation.