Heart failure is a clinical syndrome which is characterized by the inability of the heart to pump well enough to supply all the tissues of the body with blood. Since the heart and peripheral vessels are functionally a joint system, one can also use the term cardiovascular insufficiency, cardiac insufficiency or heart failure (even though the heart has not ‘failed’ in its task to supply the organism with blood, it is merely not performing this function as well as it should). Heart failure is a long-term condition that tends to get gradually worse over time. It can't usually be cured, but the symptoms can often be controlled for many years.