CHF is a debilitating condition in which the heart’s ability to function, as a pump is impaired. CHF is most frequently the result of coronary artery disease or hypertension. Patients with CHF experience a continual decline in their health, resulting in increased frequency of hospitalization and premature death.

In North America, Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) affects more than five million people and is associated with more than 400,000 deaths each year. Chronic inflammation is recognized as an underlying pathology contributing to the development and progression of Chronic Heart Failure.

In the EU, those afflicted with CHF approximate 6.5 million. The cost of medical care in the US reflecting 2006 statistics, primarily resulting from repeated hospitalization exceeded $37 billion ($1000 - $1500/day with an average five-day to six-day hospitalization stay).

The results of a National Hospital Discharge Survey show that the number of hospitalizations for heart failure has increased substantially, from more than 400,000 in 1979 to more than 1.1 million in 2004, accounting for almost two percent of all hospital admissions in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), among people on Medicare, heart failure is the most common reason for hospitalization, accounting for approximately 800,000 hospitalizations yearly. Re-hospitalization rates during the six months following discharge are as high as 50 percent.