Need for Term Definition in Cardiology-Cardiac Failure and Cardiac Insufficiency: A Short Review

Abstract

Background: Cardiac failure is often used interchangeably with cardiac insufficiency. This creates issues in patient approach and management outcome. Objectives: The aim of this Short Review is to highlight the distinction and relationship between cardiac failure and cardiac insufficiency. Methods: Data were extracted by literature search on PubMed, Google scholar citation, Medline and other repositories. Results: Cardiac failure is a different form of cardiac insufficiency mainly by the fact that the later has no myocardial damage or contractility failure. There are also no clinical or radiographic features of cardiomegaly in cardiac insufficiency.