| Demographic Group: | All resident persons. |
| Numerator: | Deaths with International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 code I50.0 (ICD-9 code 428.0) as the underlying or contributing (any mentioned) cause of death among residents during a calendar year. |
| Denominator: | Midyear resident population for the same calendar year. |
| Measures of Frequency: | Annual number of deaths. Annual mortality rate — crude and age-adjusted (standardized by the direct method to the year 2000 standard U.S. population, distribution 1*) — with 95% confidence interval. |
| Time Period of Case Definition: | Calendar year. |
| Background: | Congestive heart failure (CHF) is the leading principal diagnosis for Medicare hospital claims. |
| Significance: | Approximately 75% of persons with CHF have antecedent hypertension. During 1979–1996, hospitalization for CHF increased by 130%. Substantial differences in CHF death rates and preventive measures exist by race, age, sex, place of residence, and other demographic factors. |
| Limitations of Indicator: | Because congestive heart failure is a chronic disease and can have a long preclinical phase, years might pass before changes in behavior or clinical practice affect population mortality. |
| Data Resources: | Death certificate data from vital statistics agencies (numerator) and population estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census or suitable alternative (denominator).
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| Limitations of Data Resources: | Causes of death and other variables listed on the death certificate might be inaccurate. |
| Healthy People 2010 Objectives: | No objective. |
