Heart Failure Fundamentals
What is the main difference between left-sided and right-sided heart failure?
Left-sided affects lungs; right-sided affects systemic circulation.
Rationale: Left-sided HF causes pulmonary symptoms like dyspnea; right-sided HF leads to peripheral edema and ascites.
What is pericarditis?
Inflammation of the pericardium.
Rationale: Often viral or idiopathic, it causes chest pain and a friction rub.
What is orthopnea?
Difficulty breathing when lying flat.
Rationale: Indicates fluid overload in lungs, common in left-sided HF.
When should diuretics like furosemide be given?
In the morning.
Rationale: Prevents nocturia and allows monitoring of diuresis.
What is a common complication of untreated hypertension?
Heart failure.
Rationale: Chronic high pressure damages the heart over time.
What lab value helps monitor heart failure severity?
BNP (B-type Natriuretic Peptide).
Rationale: Elevated BNP indicates ventricular stretch and fluid overload.
What is infective endocarditis?
Infection of heart valves.
Rationale: Often caused by bacteria; risk factors include IV drug use and prosthetic valves.
What are signs of pulmonary edema?
Dyspnea, crackles, pink frothy sputum.
Rationale: Fluid in alveoli impairs gas exchange.
What is the antidote for warfarin?
Vitamin K.
Rationale: Reverses anticoagulation; INR should be monitored.
What causes a friction rub in pericarditis?
Inflamed pericardial layers rubbing together.
Rationale: Audible on auscultation, diagnostic for pericarditis.
What EF indicates systolic heart failure?
Less than 40%.
Rationale: EF measures pumping efficiency; low EF = poor contractility.
What is rheumatic fever?
Autoimmune response to strep throat.
Rationale: Can damage heart valves and cause myocarditis.
What symptoms indicate right-sided HF?
JVD, hepatomegaly, peripheral edema.
Rationale: Blood backs up into systemic circulation.
What electrolyte imbalance is common with loop diuretics?
Hypokalemia.
Rationale: Potassium is lost in urine, increasing arrhythmia risk.
Why does HF cause fluid overload?
Reduced cardiac output activates RAAS.
Rationale: RAAS retains sodium/water to compensate, worsening overload.
What is the Frank-Starling law?
Increased stretch = stronger contraction (to a point).
Rationale: Explains compensation in early HF; overstretching reduces efficiency.
What are signs of myocarditis?
Chest pain, fatigue, arrhythmias.
Rationale: Inflammation of myocardium affects electrical and pumping
What is mitral stenosis?
Narrowing of the mitral valve opening.
Rationale: Often caused by rheumatic fever; restricts blood flow into the left ventricle.
Why is anticoagulation important in mitral stenosis with AFib?
Prevents thrombus formation.
Rationale: Stagnant blood in dilated atrium increases clot risk.
Who is at most risk for developing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Someone who has a family member with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
is commonly inherited disorder
The nurse is teaching a client who has dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) about this condition. Which of the statement by the nurse should be included in the teaching?
"Your heart condition is caused by excessive stretching and weak walls of the ventricles."
What is mitral valve prolapse?
A condition where the valve leaflets bulge into the left atrium during systole.
Rationale: Often benign but may cause regurgitation or arrhythmias.
What is sleeping and waking feeling like a person is suffocating .
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
Rational Caused by reabsorption of fluid dependent body areas when the pt. is sleeping and waking
What is a balloon valvuloplasty?
A procedure to widen a stenotic mitral valve.
Rationale: Minimally invasive alternative to surgery.
How to reduce preload in HF?
Diuretics, elevate legs, sodium restriction.
Rationale: Reducing volume decreases cardiac workload.