heart failure vs heart disease

[Qwerty12345]

Is there a difference between heart failure and heart disease? Does heart failure come under the umbrella of heart disease? My mum has heart failure and it sounds so drastic! Somehow, heart disease sounds less so but would it be incorrect to use that term for heart failure? Just wondering really.

[EU95PTM]

They are two different conditions. Heart disease refers to the atherosclerosis (fatty substance) that builds up in the coronary arteries. Heart failure is where the heart isn’t pumping as well as it should. This could be for a variety of reasons, such as heart muscle damage from a heart attack, or congenital conditions. You can have heart disease without having heart failure.

[andy110519 in reply to EU95PTM]

I think that's coronary heart disease where as heart disease also covers faulty heart valves etcAndy

[Happyrosie]

explained within the BHF website.

[aardvark68]

Heart failure is a very unfortunate term. As others have said it just means that the heart is not pumping as well as it should. There are different stages - and varying degrees of severity. If you look at previous posts on here you will find many people who have been living with “heart failure “ for years.