·1	abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)

·2	stroke (damage to the brain caused by lack of blood supply)

·3	heart attack

·4	blood clots on the lung, in the leg veins and in the arteries of the arms and legs (called thromboembolism)

·5	liver problems

·6	depression (a third of people with heart failure develop severe depression)

·1	Coronary Heart Disease (which includes heart attack and/or angina) is the most common reason for heart failure. It causes damage to the heart muscle which prevents it from being able to pump enough blood around the body.

·2	High blood pressure (hypertension). This puts extra strain on the heart and can lead to heart failure over time.

·3	Heart valve abnormalities (either narrowed or weakened valves). These abnormalities can develop after rheumatic fever in childhood, can be present at birth, or they may be caused by a heart attack.

·4	Heart rhythm abnormalities. A fast and/or irregular heartbeat does not allow the heart to fill with enough blood before it pumps it around the body.

·5	Congenital heart disease is a heart condition that is present at birth - such as a hole in the heart in the septum which is the wall dividing the left and right sides, which can overload the heart with blood causing heart failure to develop.

·6	Anaemia or an overactive thyroid gland can also cause heart failure by making the heart beat too fast and work too hard.