Heart failure sounds scary - because it is. But here's the thing: millions of Americans are walking around right now with a specific type called systo

Medically reviewed by Christopher Lee, MD Congestive heart failure, or heart failure (HF), happens when there is a structural or functional problem with your heart, making it difficult for your heart to pump blood to vital organs.

Heart failure is what happens when your heart is not pumping enough blood throughout the body. It does not mean the heart has stopped working. Instead, it means your heart is not strong enough to pump blood properly or is not able to fill up with a sufficient amount of blood.

Medically reviewed by Anisha Shah, MD Congestive heart failure (CHF) occurs when your heart muscles become damaged and can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your organs. Several underlying health conditions can raise your risk of CHF,