According to South Korean health experts, the number of heart disease patients has increased fourfold over the past 20 years, and one in every four people aged 80 or older is affected by the condition.
South Korea, a society with a large elderly population, is witnessing heart failure emerge as a major and serious concern related to longevity.
According to the Korean Heart Failure Society’s Heart Failure Fact Sheet 2025, the rate of heart failure in households, which was 0.77 percent in 2002, rose to 3.41 percent in 2023 a fourfold increase in 20 years. The prevalence is 6.3 percent among people in their 60s, 12.9 percent among those in their 70s, and 26.5 percent among individuals aged 80 or above.
Heart failure refers to a condition in which the heart is unable to pump adequate blood throughout the body.
Professor Hwang Hee-jung of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Kangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital in Seoul said that conditions such as coronary artery disease, complications following heart attacks, long term uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart valve diseases, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia can reduce the heart’s ability to contract and alter its normal structure, eventually affecting blood circulation and leading to heart failure.
Professor Hwang Hee jung added that patients must take extra precautions during winter, as cold weather can worsen heart failure.
He explained that exposure to cold air causes blood vessels to constrict, which raises blood pressure and forces the heart to pump harder. This additional strain can pose a severe risk for patients with weakened hearts. Respiratory illnesses such as colds, flu or pneumonia can further aggravate heart failure, potentially leading to hospitalization or death.
He also noted that shortness of breath during light activity, difficulty breathing when lying down, swelling in the legs or feet, and sudden weight gain may be signs of heart failure.
