Heart Failure Basics
The priority concept for heart failure is this.
What is perfusion?
A classic symptom of left-sided heart failure.
What is dyspnea?
This nervous system is activated first when cardiac output falls.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
Most common cause of mitral stenosis.
What is rheumatic fever?
Infection of the endocardium
What is infective endocarditis?
The most common cause of right-sided heart failure.
What is left ventricular failure?
Most reliable indicator of fluid gain or loss in heart failure.
What is daily weight?
This system causes sodium and water retention.
What is the RAAS?
Most common valve disorder in the United States.
What is aortic stenosis?
Characteristic heart sound heard in pericarditis.
What is a pericardial friction rub?
This type of heart failure occurs when cardiac output remains normal or above normal.
What is high-output heart failure?
Neck vein distention suggests this type of heart failure.
What is right-sided heart failure?
BNP increases in response to this cardiac change.
What is ventricular stretching/volume overload?
Valve disorder associated with a midsystolic click.
What is mitral valve prolapse?
Emergency caused by fluid accumulation around the heart.
What is cardiac tamponade?
Name the two major types of left-sided heart failure.
What are systolic and diastolic heart failure?
Pink frothy sputum is associated with this complication.
What is pulmonary edema?
This compensatory mechanism enlarges the heart muscle.
What is myocardial hypertrophy?
Surgery becomes urgent when aortic valve area reaches this size.
What is 1 cm² or less?
Classic skin finding of infective endocarditis.
What are petechiae, Osler nodes, Janeway lesions, Roth spots, or splinter hemorrhages?
Explain the difference between left-sided and right-sided heart failure.
Left-sided HF causes pulmonary congestion; right-sided HF causes systemic venous congestion and peripheral edema.
Name four assessment findings commonly seen in right-sided heart failure.
JVD, hepatomegaly, ascites, dependent edema, abdominal distention, hepatojugular reflux
Explain why compensatory mechanisms eventually worsen heart failure.
Increased workload, oxygen demand, fluid retention, remodeling, and progressive ventricular dysfunction
A patient reports DOE, orthopnea, palpitations, and a history of rheumatic fever. Which valve disorder is most likely?
What is mitral stenosis?
Name Beck's Triad seen with cardiac tamponade.
Hypotension, muffled heart sounds, jugular venous distention