The term heart failure can be frightening, but in reality, it just means that the heart is not pumping as well as it could be. When the heart muscle is weak, blood cannot be pumped efficiently enough to get oxygen to all of the cells. Sometimes the heart becomes dilated and weak. Other times it may be stiff and thickened.

     Over time, the heart cannot keep up with its workload. When this happens, there isn't enough oxygenated blood reaching the brain and muscles, and fluid begins to backup in the lungs and other tissues. The lack of oxygen causes the main sympto  ms of heart failure such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and difficulty completing tasks that require exertion.