The number of people living with heart failure has risen by 15%, a survey by the British Heart Foundation has found.

Despite the fact that deaths from heart attacks are dropping, there are now more than 878,000 heart failure patients in the UK, costing the NHS an estimated �625m a year.

There is an urgent need for greater understanding of heart failure

Professor Sir Charles George

The BHF poll found that only 5% of people over 45 fear developing heart failure in later life.

Yet the BHF estimates that over one in 10 (14%) of all UK deaths are linked to heart failure.

According to the charity, there is a worrying lack of understanding about heart failure among both health professionals and the public.

This results in many patients going undiagnosed or not receiving the most effective treatments.

Less than 50% of patients with treated heart failure are currently prescribed ACE inhibitors, drugs that have proved effective in reducing mortality and hospitalisation.

And, around only one in 10 patients being treated for heart failure are prescribed beta-blockers, drugs shown to increase the length and quality of life.

Cancer more feared

The national poll also found that 37% named cancer as their most feared disease, despite the fact that the survival rate for heart failure is worse than that of breast and prostate cancer.

Only one in five people could describe heart failure accurately as a condition caused when the heart muscle becomes damaged (often after a heart attack) and less efficient at pumping blood.

More than half (52%) considered heart disease as a 'quick way to go'.

However, heart failure sufferers may experience a long and debilitating illness - and for the vast majority of patients, there is no cure.

People with heart failure often have a lower quality of life than arthritis, chronic lung disease or angina sufferers.

The BHF is launching a new national initiative, funding and training 16 new heart failure nurses in the community.

With early diagnosis many people with heart failure are able to control their condition and live longer and fuller lives with the right combination of drugs, lifestyle and support.

Professor Sir Charles George, BHF Medical Director, said: "The lack of awareness and understanding of heart failure comes as no surprise.

"There is an urgent need for greater understanding of heart failure and the enormous burden it is placing on patients, healthcare and the economy.

"More must be done to improve diagnosis and treatment of heart failure, to improve the quality of life of heart failure patients and to reduce the pressure on hospitals dealing with this widely misunderstood condition."

Government response

Dr Roger Boyle, National Director for Heart Disease at the Department of Health said increased investment and sustained efforts from NHS staff in recent years meant the NHS was delivering more life saving treatment to more people more quickly.

"A greater number of lives are being saved from premature death from heart attacks.

"This means more people are surviving with weakened hearts which, with an aging population, has resulted in a growing number of people living with heart failure.

"We know more needs to be done to improve the care and quality of life that these patients experience, and to reduce the number of avoidable hospital admissions.

"That is why tackling heart failure is a top priority for the next wave of delivery of the Coronary Heart Disease National Service Framework."