Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t pump blood as it’s supposed to and blood can back up in the arteries and fluid can build up in the lungs causing shortness of breath. Coronary artery disease or high blood pressure gradually leaves the heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump blood properly, which can lead to heart failure. Other causes of heart failure can include allergic reaction, blood clots in the lungs, severe infections, and viruses that attack the heart muscle.