BETHESDA, MARYLAND (February 9, 2017) – The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) would like to announce that Heart Failure Awareness Week (HFAW) will take place on February 12-18, 2017. To increase national awareness about the severity of this disease, HFSA declared through the US Senate in 2001 the week of Valentine’s Day as National Heart Failure Awareness Week. HFSA is asking the public to take action by supporting the society’s efforts to promote heart failure awareness, patient education, and heart failure prevention.

Heart failure is a condition that affects about 5.7 million Americans of all ages, and contributes to 1 in 9 deaths in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about half of the people who develop heart failure will die within five years of diagnosis. Heart failure symptoms like excessive fatigue and shortness of breath are often mistaken for normal signs of aging. It is imperative for HFSA educate the public about these staggering facts and get the word out about heart failure and prevention factors.

To aid in patient education and awareness efforts, on Monday, February 13, HFSA (@HFSA) will distribute a series of heart failure awareness tweets over the course of 24 hours. On Wednesday, February 15, HFSA, American Heart Association (AHA), and American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) will be co-hosting a twitter discussion, #HeartChat, on how healthcare providers can build strong relationships with heart failure patients. And, through other social media promotion, HFSA will lead the discussion on prevention and early diagnosis.

HFSA also promotes its Do Your Part, Know Your Heart campaign during HFAW. The community-focused heart failure initiative promotes self-health awareness through a patient app and by encouraging regular checkups, educating about the signs and symptoms of heart failure, providing information on diet and exercise, and stressing the importance of regular screenings.
To learn more about upcoming awareness activities and access downloadable materials about HFAW, visit www.hfsa.org/hfweek.

About HFSA
The Heart Failure Society of America, Inc. (HFSA) represents the first organized effort by heart failure experts from the Americas to provide a forum for all those interested in heart function, heart failure, and congestive heart failure (CHF) research and patient care. For more information, please visit www.hfsa.org.