Heart attacks, high blood pressure or hypertension and diseases of the heart valves are some of the common conditions that can lead to heart failure. Luckily neither of these are true, but nonetheless heart failure is a serious and frequently under-diagnosed condition, and is a warning sign that the heart is under strain. Acute heart failure is the term used to describe heart failure of sudden onset, whereas chronic heart failure is of a longer duration, and often has a more insidious presentation. Lots of conditions can lead to heart failure, but the most common ones include:Heart attack – during a heart attack some of your heart muscle is deprived of oxygen. Diseases or infections of the heart muscle known as cardiomyopathy can be a cause of heart failure.

Source: Stuff March 11, 2019 15:56 UTC