About Heart Failure

Stages of Heart Failure

American College of Cardiology (ACC) / American Heart Association (AHA) Classification System

Early-Stage Heart Failure

• Stage A
  At risk for developing heart failure without evidence of heart dysfunction.
• Stage B
  Evidence of heart dysfunction without symptoms.

Advanced-Stage Heart Failure

• Stage C
  Evidence of heart dysfunction with symptoms.
• Stage D
  Symptoms of heart failure despite maximal therapy.

Even though you may not yet have symptoms of heart failure or any structural abnormality of the heart, physicians can use this classification system to identify risk factors and begin early treatment to help prevent or delay the onset of heart failure.