CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

About 4.8 million Americans are afflicted with congestive heart failure. The prevalence is higher for those individuals age 60 and above. The overall fatality rate from heart failure is high: 20% of patients die within the first year of diagnosis, and 50% die within five years. Direct costs for heart failure are in excess of $20 billion. 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States.