Congestive heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it with failure of the heart to pump blood with normal efficiency. When this occurs the heart is unable to provide adequate blood flow to other organs such as the brain liver and kidneys. Abbreviated CHF . CHF may be due to failure of the right or left ventricle or both. The symptoms can include shortness of breath ( dyspnea ) asthma due to the heart (cardiac asthma) pooling of blood ( stasis ) in the general body (systemic) circulation or in the liver's (portal) circulation swelling (edema) blueness or duskiness ( cyanosis ) and enlargement ( hypertrophy ) of the heart. The many causes of CHF include coronary artery disease leading to heart attacks and heart muscle (myocardium) weakness; primary heart muscle weakness from viral infections or toxins such as prolonged alcohol exposure; heart valve disease causing heart muscle weakness due to too much leaking of blood or causing heart muscle stiffness from a blocked valve; hyperthyroidism; and high blood pressure .