 Hello, I am Susan Steinbacher and I'm a family nurse practitioner with MidMichigan's Heart Failure Clinic. Heart failure is a condition in which your heart's pumping function is impaired. It is the number one reason for hospitalization for people who are age 65 and older and affects nearly 6 million people in the United States. Without a heart transplant, this disease has no cure, but with proper care and treatments, heart failure can be successfully managed. In fact, many patients with heart failure are very active and are able to do most everything they wish. There are two forms of heart failure, a weakened heart pump that is unable to move blood out of the body or a stiffened heart muscle that does not relax and fill with blood properly. Whether the heart is weakened or stiff, it is not able to pump enough oxygen and nutrients out to meet the demands and needs of the body. Therefore, most heart failure patients have symptoms of fatigue and shortness of breath with minimal activity. Pressures that build up in the failing heart can cause increased pressure to build in the lungs. This can cause fluid to leak out of the blood vessels of the lungs and into the air spaces of your lungs, creating symptoms of cough, difficulty breathing when lying flat, and increased shortness of breath. In an effort to compensate for a failing heart, the kidneys often respond by causing the body to retain fluid and sodium. This ultimately makes heart failure worse, and the fluid and pressures in the veins of the body builds causing swelling of the abdomen and legs called edema. It is important to note that heart failure is not just a simple state of fluid overload. This disease is a progressive problem that may have periods of stability marked by episodes of increased symptoms. If left untreated, heart failure is likely to cause significant limitation of your activity level and quality of life. There are a number of medical conditions that can result in heart failure. These include coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, heart valve disease, heart rhythm abnormalities, and viral illness. If you or someone you know is suffering from heart failure, the Heart Failure Clinic can help improve your quality of life. For more information or to inquire about becoming a patient, please call 989-794-5200.