[Epidemiology of heart failure].

Prevalence of heart failure is ranging in European countries between 0.4% to 2%. It increases rapidly with age. The number of patients in heart failure reaches 500,000 in France and there are 120,000 new cases every year. Two-thirds are older than 74 years. 3.5 million of outpatients clinics and 150,000 hospital admissions are due to heart failure every year. Mean hospital stay is 11 days. More than 32,000 deaths are related to cardiac failure. Money spent for cardiac failure represents more than 1% of all medical budget.