In the joint American College of Cardiology /American Heart Association classification system, Stage B heart failure refers to patients with structural heart disease but no symptoms of heart failure. Preventing progression of heart failure in Stage B patients is a central concern to heart failure specialists, so two issues have been devoted to this topic. Part I focuses on an understanding of structural heart disease and the factors that cause progression from risk of heart failure to development of structural changes.

In the joint American College of Cardiology /American Heart Association classification system, Stage B heart failure refers to patients with structural heart disease but no symptoms of heart failure. Preventing progression of heart failure in Stage B patients is a central concern to heart failure specialists, so two issues have been devoted to this topic. Part I focuses on an understanding of structural heart disease and the factors that cause progression from risk of heart failure to development of structural changes.