Abstract
Coronary artery disease is the primary risk factor for left ventricular systolic dysfunction and the most common cause of heart failure. Heart failure is the prevailing diagnosis for hospital admissions in the United States for people over 65 years of age. It has a great impact on the health care delivery system as a whole for both inpatient and outpatient treatment. A comprehensive understanding of this disease state is paramount for health care providers. This article describes the epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, and current treatment modalities for left ventricular systolic dysfunction related to heart disease.