How Long Can You Live with Congestive Heart Failure? 

Congestive heart failure is a serious condition, but it is not an immediate death sentence. Research shows that it’s possible to live for a long time with congestive heart failure. 

According to a recent meta-analysis, the proportion of people who survived for years after their congestive heart failure diagnosis were: 

• 87% survived one year 

• 73% survived two years 

• 57% survived five years 

• 35% survived ten years 

In other words, heart failure doctors can help the majority of people live more than five years after their diagnosis. More than a third live more than ten years after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure. An important caveat here is that these results are from the pre-COVID era, and some studies since indicate that COVID infection can reduce the survival rates of congestive heart failure patients. 

However, there are several factors that could contribute to how long you might live with heart failure, including your age, the severity of your disease, any comorbidities you might have, and the care you receive from a heart failure specialist. The level and type of care you receive can significantly improve not only the number of years you live, but also your quality of life during those years. 

Your Age Might Make a Difference 

One of the biggest impacts on how long you might live with congestive heart failure is your age at diagnosis. The same meta-analysis mentioned above concluded that the one-year survival rate for people aged less than 65 at diagnosis was 92%, compared to just 83% for people aged 75 and over. At five years, people who were under 65 at diagnosis had a survival rate of 79%, but those 75 and over only had a 50% survival rate.  

One study in the meta-analysis showed that the youngest patients at diagnosis (those aged 45-54 years) had an 81% 5-year survival rate. 

Severity at Diagnosis Matters

Another key factor influencing how long you can live with congestive heart failure is how severe your disease was at diagnosis. Although there are many ways to describe the severity of congestive heart failure, such as staging, the one that has been best linked to survival rates is the ventricular ejection fraction (often abbreviated just EF). The left ventricle is the chamber of the heart that pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body. When the ejection fraction goes down, it means that two things are happening. First, your body is not getting ss much oxygen-rich blood as it should. Second, blood is trapped and pools in the heart. This can have negative impacts on your organ health and your quality of life, and can increase your risk of dangerous complications like stroke.  

Not all studies show an increased survival rate for people with a lower ejection fraction. However, some studies suggest that people with an ejection fraction below 40% were 2.6 times more likely to die within the study period.  

Comorbidities Play a Role

Other illnesses you have alongside congestive heart failure can have a significant impact on how long you can live. We call these comorbidities, and they are unfortunately common in people with congestive heart failure.  

Some common comorbidities in people with congestive heart failure include: 

• Ischemic etiology (low blood flow to parts of the body, including the heart) 

• Diabetes 

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 

• Chronic kidney disease 

• Hypertension 

• Atrial fibrillation 

Of these, COPD and diabetes might be the most important comorbidities. If you have these comorbidities, talk to your congestive heart failure doctor.  

Comprehensive Care Matters 

Another factor that can contribute both to your life expectancy and your quality of life after a heart failure diagnosis is the level and type of treatment you receive.  

Congestive heart failure is a complicated disease, and effective treatment depends on addressing many aspects of the disease. Comprehensive care will likely include: 

• Lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking, eating a healthier diet, and getting regular exercise that’s appropriate for your cardiac and overall health 

• Medications such as beta blockers, diuretics, and recommended vaccinations to protect against respiratory illnesses 

• Surgical treatments including revascularization, valve repair, valve replacement, and others 

• Medical devices such as an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), biventrical pacemaker, or left ventricle assist device (LCAD) 

Work with a heart failure specialist to determine which treatments are best for your condition and will help you meet your treatment goals.  

The Transitional Heart Failure Clinic Is Here for You

At South Denver Cardiology, we understand that a congestive heart failure diagnosis can be a scary thing to face. That’s why we’ve designed a clinic dedicated to helping heart failure patients get the most out of their remaining life, both by doing what we can to increase the years you can live and by making those years the best they can be. Our Transitional Heart Failure Clinic (THFC) is here to help you get all the help you need as you experience different phases of heart failure.  

This comprehensive program is staffed by highly qualified heart failure doctors, advanced practice nurses, cardiac RNs, and medical assistants with one goal: helping patients with cardiac failure. We will help you understand your condition, talk to you about your expectations, and help you set reasonable goals for your heart failure journey. Some heart failure patients can expect years of what they might describe as “normal life,” and we can help them do what they can to extend those years. Even in the worst cases, there is always something we can do to improve a person’s experience, even if we can’t add years to their life.  

To learn how the THFC can help, please contact South Denver Cardiology for more information. If you think you would be a candidate for the THFC, contact your primary care provider or cardiologist for a referral.  

Congestive Heart Failure: Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: How long can you live with congestive heart failure?

A: Congestive heart failure is serious but not an immediate death sentence. Research shows 87% of people survive one year after diagnosis, 73% survive two years, 57% survive five years, and 35% survive ten years or more. 

Q: Does age affect how long you can live with congestive heart failure?

A: Yes. People diagnosed before age 65 have a 92% one-year survival rate and a 79% five-year survival rate. People diagnosed at 75 or older have an 83% one-year survival rate and a 50% five-year survival rate. 

Q: What is ejection fraction, and why does it matter for heart failure survival?

A: Ejection fraction (EF) measures how much blood the heart’s left ventricle pumps out with each beat. A lower EF means less oxygen-rich blood reaches the body and blood pools in the heart. Some studies show people with an EF below 40% are 2.6 times more likely to die within the study period. 

Q: What other health conditions affect congestive heart failure survival?

A: Comorbidities can significantly impact survival, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes. Other common comorbidities include ischemic etiology, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation. 

Q: What treatments help people live longer with congestive heart failure?

A: Comprehensive care includes lifestyle changes (quitting smoking, diet, appropriate exercise), medications (beta blockers, diuretics, vaccinations), surgical treatments (revascularization, valve repair or replacement), and medical devices (ICDs, pacemakers, LVADs). 

Q: Has COVID-19 affected congestive heart failure survival rates?

A: The survival statistics above are from pre-COVID research. Some more recent studies suggest COVID-19 infection may reduce survival rates in people with congestive heart failure. 

Q: What is a Transitional Heart Failure Clinic?

A: A Transitional Heart Failure Clinic is a specialized program — like the one at South Denver Cardiology — staffed by heart failure doctors, advanced practice nurses, and cardiac RNs who help patients manage the disease, understand their prognosis, and improve quality of life across all stages of heart failure.