Heart Failure Awareness Week 2025
Feb 13th 2025
In the United States, nearly 6.7 million adults 20 years old or older have heart failure.1
Heart Failure Awareness Week 2025 (February 9th -15th) is an annual event dedicated to increasing awareness of heart failure. Heart failure is a serious condition where the heart does not pump blood effectively.
Common symptoms of heart failure:
- Shortness of breath during daily activity or when lying down
- Fatigue and weakness
- Swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Reduced ability to exercise
- Wheezing
Certain medical conditions can increase the risk of heart failure, including:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) (the most common type of heart disease) and heart attacks
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Other conditions related to heart disease
Unhealthy behaviors can also increase risk for heart failure, especially for people who have one of the conditions listed above. Unhealthy behaviors include:
- Tobacco use
- Consuming foods high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium (salt)
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol intake2
If you believe you have symptoms of heart failure, please contact your health care professional. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve quality and quantity of life for individuals living with heart failure. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States.3
There are a multitude of reliable sources for heart failure information, including the American Heart Association’s comprehensive learning tool called "Let's Talk About Heart Failure," which helps individuals navigate living with heart failure and take actions to improve quality of life4,5 and the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.6 Your healthcare professional may provide additional information.
1Martin SS, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, et al.; American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee; Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. 2024 heart disease and stroke statistics: a report of US and global data from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2024;149:e347–913.
2 About Heart Failure | Heart Disease | CDC
3 The TRUTH About Women and Heart Disease Fact Sheet | NHLBI, NIH
4What is Heart Failure? | American Heart Association