What condition is referred to when the heart cannot pump effectively due to increased workload?

The condition in which the heart cannot pump effectively due to increased workload is known as heart failure. Heart failure occurs when the heart's muscle becomes weakened or damaged, resulting in its inability to pump sufficient blood to meet the body's needs. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including high blood pressure, previous heart attacks, or long-standing coronary artery disease, all of which may impose additional workload on the heart.

In heart failure, the heart often has to work harder to maintain the required cardiac output, eventually leading to fatigue of the heart muscles and reduced pumping efficiency. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the legs and ankles, and other signs of fluid overload.

While coronary artery disease, aneurysm, and atrial fibrillation can also affect heart function or structure, they do not specifically refer to a condition where the heart's ability to pump is compromised due to an increased workload. Coronary artery disease involves the narrowing of coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle, an aneurysm describes a bulging or weakening in the arterial wall, and atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to inefficient pumping but is distinct from heart failure itself.