Stages of heart disease

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have developed a system to help you better understand the stages of heart failure. The staging system includes specific treatments targeted to each stage. Understanding the staging system can help you have a meaningful conversation with your health care provider as you plan your care.

Stage A

You may have heart failure risk factors, including high blood pressure, coronary disease, diabetes, drug or alcohol abuse or a family history of cardiomyopathy (diseases of the heart muscle). Since you have some risk, now is an ideal time to take preventive action to ward off more serious heart disease or failure, even if you do not have active heart disease or symptoms.

Stage B

In spite of not showing symptoms, you may already have heart disease of some kind, including a structural heart disorder, and you may be able to take steps to reduce your risk of developing symptoms.

Stage C

You have heart disease, with some prior or current heart failure symptoms. At this stage, you can work with your physician to control your symptoms.

Stage D

You have advanced heart disease (also known as end-stage heart failure), with symptoms that are still active, despite medical treatment. You may be eligible for advanced treatment procedures, such as ventricular assist devices or heart transplantation.

For patients who have Stage C or Stage D heart failure (presence of symptoms), doctors often classify patients’ heart failure according to how severe their symptoms are. Below is the most common classification system, the New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification. The NYHA Functional Classification system places patients in one of four categories based on how much they are limited by their heart failure symptoms during physical activity.