Heart Failure

Heart Failure Expertise at Weill Cornell Medicine 

Heart Failure, also known as congestive heart failure, occurs when the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands. Affecting more than 5 million Americans, heart failure is often a long-term (chronic) condition but may also develop suddenly.

Heart failure is a serious condition that requires expert care. The specialists at the Weill Cornell Medicine Perkin Center for Heart Failure provide patients with comprehensive, effective treatments. 

Heart Failure Risks

The most common risk factors for heart failure are:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Coronary artery disease
• Valvular disease

Other less common causes of “systolic heart failure” include cardiac noncompaction, some forms of cancer treatment, systemic illnesses which may affect the heart including connective tissue and inflammatory diseases (sarcoid, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma spectrum of disease), or fatty infiltration of the heart (ARVD).

In younger patients, heart failure is often caused by myocarditis—an inflammatory response commonly brought about by a viral illness. 

In elderly patients, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasingly recognized as the most common form of heart failure. 

Heart Failure Symptoms

With heart failure, the heart becomes unable to respond normally to increased demand from activity. The heart is not able to maintain healthy blood pressure and volume levels. This often causes parts of the heart to become enlarged or for the heart to retain fluid. 

Patients with heart failure may experience: 

• Shortness of breath
• Swelling 
• Difficulty exercising
• General fatigue
• Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
• Difficulty performing normal activities, such as dressing or bathing, without assistance
• Sleep-disordered breathing patterns

Types of Heart Failure We Treat

Heart failure is complex and can lead to many different types of heart problems. Other cardiac disorders may have similar symptoms as heart failure, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Therefore, it is important for patients to visit an experienced cardiologist who specializes in heart failure. 

At Weill Cornell Medicine, we treat: 

• Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF), often called “systolic failure,” and provide advanced therapies including left ventricular assist devices and cardiac transplantation
• Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF), often called “diastolic failure,” and Cardiac Amyloidosis through our dedicated Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Program (one of just a few such dedicated programs in the country) led by Parag Goyal, M.D., MSc., an advanced heart failure physician and geriatric cardiologist
• Pulmonary hypertension and right-sided heart failure
• Inflammatory cardiomyopathies including Cardiac Sarcoidosis in close collaboration with Hospital for Special Surgery
• Heart failure in patients with active or prior cancer, in close collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Heart failure in patients with congenital heart disease in collaboration with our Adult Congenital Heart Disease Specialists

How We Treat Heart Failure 

At the Weill Cornell Medicine Perkin Center for Heart Failure, our team of world-class cardiologists uses the most advanced diagnostic tools, imaging technology, and therapies to treat and manage heart failure. We work hard to diagnose and treat heart failure as early as possible, as well as provide long-term care that gives our patients the best possible outcomes. 

Our team offers a wide variety of treatments, based on each patient’s specific needs. We may treat heart failure with: 

• Medications
• Minimally invasive (catheter-based) and other cardiac surgery techniques
• Mechanical circulatory support devices
• Heart transplant 

Our team of cardiologists, nurse practitioners, dieticians, physical therapists, and social workers work collaboratively to provide comprehensive care and maximize our patient’s quality of life.