Heart Failure, An Issue of Cardiology Clinics,

Over 5.7 million people in America carry a diagnosis of heart failure, the incidence of which approaches 1 in 100 people over the age of 65. The cost to society is estimated at $29 billion annually and over 1.1 million hospital admissions. For hospitalized heart failure patients, the 30-day readmission rate approaches 25%. As our population ages these numbers are expected to grow.  This issue of Cardiology Clinics helps practitioners to manage patients at all ACC/AHA stages of heart failure and addresses key issues that include sudden cardiac death, arrhythmias, acute decompensated heart failure, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.