Are heart failure and cardiac failure the same thing?

Written by Jia Qiu Ju
Cardiology
Updated on May 10, 2025
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Heart failure and cardiac failure are the same, but in clinical standard diagnosis, it is called heart failure, or congestive heart failure, which can be divided into left heart failure, right heart failure, and total heart failure. Heart failure is a group of clinical syndromes caused by the gradual progression and aggravation of a condition in the presence of an underlying disease. Underlying diseases include hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, valvular heart disease, and pericardial disease, etc. Initially, there is a significant decline in activity levels; even slightly more activity can cause chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Severe cases may be accompanied by episodes of respiratory distress, and as the condition progressively worsens, the aforementioned symptoms can occur even at rest. Heart failure currently still utilizes the New York Heart Association functional classification, which is divided into four stages, with stage four being the most severe heart failure.

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Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
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Common causes of heart failure

Heart failure is a syndrome that occurs when various structural or functional cardiac diseases impair ventricular filling or ejection function. Once heart failure occurs, medical treatment should be sought promptly. Common causes of heart failure mainly include the following points. The first category is primary myocardial damage, which mainly includes coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, and diabetic cardiomyopathy, among others. The second major category is cardiac load, such as excessive pressure load, commonly seen in hypertension, aortic valve stenosis, pulmonary hypertension, etc.; and excessive volume load, mainly found in cardiac valve insufficiency and congenital heart disease, among others.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jia Qiu Ju
Cardiology
1min 12sec home-news-image

Are heart failure and cardiac failure the same thing?

Heart failure and cardiac failure are the same, but in clinical standard diagnosis, it is called heart failure, or congestive heart failure, which can be divided into left heart failure, right heart failure, and total heart failure. Heart failure is a group of clinical syndromes caused by the gradual progression and aggravation of a condition in the presence of an underlying disease. Underlying diseases include hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, valvular heart disease, and pericardial disease, etc. Initially, there is a significant decline in activity levels; even slightly more activity can cause chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Severe cases may be accompanied by episodes of respiratory distress, and as the condition progressively worsens, the aforementioned symptoms can occur even at rest. Heart failure currently still utilizes the New York Heart Association functional classification, which is divided into four stages, with stage four being the most severe heart failure.

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Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
49sec home-news-image

Clinical manifestations of heart failure

Heart failure is divided into left heart failure, right heart failure, and total heart failure. Left heart failure mainly manifests as exertional dyspnea or nocturnal paroxysmal dyspnea. It is often accompanied by palpitations, orthopnea, coughing, coughing up pink frothy sputum, accompanied by palpitations, fatigue, etc. Right heart failure primarily presents with symptoms of the digestive system, such as abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting, edema, oliguria, etc. Once heart failure occurs, active treatment must be administered. In clinical practice, treatments mainly include cardiotonics, diuretics, vasodilators, and other symptomatic treatments.

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Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
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Why does heart failure cause edema?

Edema caused by heart failure is mainly due to heart dysfunction, resulting in systemic circulation, venous congestion, and excessive fluid accumulation in the body's tissue spaces. The primary cause is right heart failure or total heart failure, and some special cases of pericarditis. The edema caused by this type of heart failure is often symmetrical, indenting, and sagging, and usually worsens with activity and lessens with rest. The common locations for fluid accumulation are in the sacral and perineal areas, while bedridden patients often show it in the ankle area. In severe cases, patients may experience generalized edema, and even develop ascites and pleural effusion. This condition is known as heart failure, and the type of edema it causes is called cardiogenic edema.

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Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
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Triggers of acute heart failure

The triggers of acute heart failure include the following aspects: Respiratory infections are the most common and important trigger, and infective endocarditis is also not uncommon. However, due to its concealed onset, it is easily underdiagnosed. The second is arrhythmia, among which atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias in organic heart disease and is also an important factor leading to heart failure. Additionally, rapid arrhythmias can also cause acute heart failure. The third is an increase in blood volume, such as excessive salt intake or excessive or rapid intravenous fluid administration. The fourth is excessive physical exertion or emotional excitement, such as during late pregnancy or childbirth. The fifth aspect is improper treatment, inappropriate use of diuretics or antihypertensive drugs, which can also trigger an episode of acute heart failure. Furthermore, whether it is an exacerbation of existing heart disease or complications with other diseases, such as coronary heart disease with myocardial infarction, rheumatic disease becoming active, or complications with hyperthyroidism or anemia, can all cause acute heart failure.