Heart Failure Stages
Overview
The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have devised a classification system for heart failure. It categorizes heart failure based on how the disease progresses in most people. Under this system, heart failure is classified by stages A through D.footnote 1
Stages of heart failure
Stage
|
Definition
|
Examples
|
A
|
Person is at high risk for developing heart failure. But there is no structural disorder of the heart.
|
Person has high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, diabetes, a history of substance use disorder, a personal history of rheumatic fever, or a family history of cardiomyopathy.
|
B
|
Person has a structural disorder of the heart. But the person has never had symptoms of heart failure.
|
Person has structural changes to the left ventricle, has heart valve disease, or has had a heart attack.
|
C
|
Person has past or current symptoms of heart failure. Symptoms are linked with underlying structural heart disease.
|
Person has shortness of breath or fatigue caused by structural heart disease. Or the person does not have symptoms and is getting treatment for prior symptoms of heart failure.
|
D
|
Person has end-stage disease. He or she needs specialized treatment strategies.
|
Person is often hospitalized for heart failure or cannot be safely discharged from the hospital. Or the person is in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant. Or the person is at home getting continuous intravenous support for symptom relief or being supported with a mechanical circulatory assistive device. Or the person is in a hospice setting for the management of heart failure.
|
References
Citations
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Yancy CW, et al. (2013). 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the management of heart failure: A report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 62(16): e147–e239.
Credits
Current as of:
June 24, 2023
Author:
Healthwise Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
Current as of: June 24, 2023
Author:
Healthwise Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
Yancy CW, et al. (2013). 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the management of heart failure: A report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 62(16): e147–e239.