A review of research has found that the ability to obtain and understand basic health information and services partly determines the mortality rate of people with heart failure.
Heart failure impairs the capacity of the heart to pump blood around the body. This can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling of the ankles, feet, legs, and abdomen.
About 5.7 million people in the United States are living with heart failure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. There is no cure for heart failure, but medication and lifestyle changes can help people with the condition to live longer, more active lives. Among the medicines that doctors commonly prescribe are drugs to lower blood pressure, reduce fluid buildup, and