Heart failure can happen to anyone, but it is more common in:
- People 65 years of age and older
- African Americans.
Heart failure is very common in persons 65 years of age and older. It is the number one reason for a hospital visit in this group.
Blacks are more likely to have heart failure and suffer more severely from it. Blacks are more likely to:
- Develop symptoms at an earlier age
- Have their heart failure get worse faster
- Have more hospital visits
- Die from heart failure.
Men also have a higher rate of heart failure than women. But in actual numbers, more women have heart failure because many more women live into their 70s and 80s when heart failure is common.
Children with congenital heart disease can also get heart failure. Congenital heart disease happens when the heart, heart valves, and/or blood vessels near the heart do not develop correctly in babies when they are in the womb. This can weaken the heart muscle and lead to heart failure.
