Heart attack
Chronic blockages of the heart arteries
Heart muscle infections
Leaking or narrow heart valves
Excessive alcohol consumption
Hypothyroidism
High blood pressure
Other disease that damages the heart muscle

Common causes in children include heart birth defects; abnormal heart valves, abnormal blood vessel connections, or viral infections.

Left-sided heart failure occurs in 1 to 3 out of every 100 people and the numbers increase with age.