Congestive heart Failure (CHF)
What is congestive heart failure? Congestive heart failure (CHF) is when the heart can no longer pump blood efficiently. The four heart chambers become stretched, stiff, and the blood thickens. Arteries become narrow causing the heart walls to weaken. The body then starts to retain fluid from the kidneys. The fluid then starts to buildup in the lungs, limbs and other organs. The fluid buildup makes the body become congested, and this is how you get the condition congestive heart failure. Many things can contribute in the cause of congestive heart failure, and there are many ways to prevent this condition.
Causes of (CHF)
Causes of congestive heart failure can be from any conditions that will weaken or cause …show more content…
As a medical assistant you will see many causes of congestive heart failure. You will learn how disease, birth defects, viruses, and the patients’ life style can lead to congestive heart failure. You will learn how to help the patients with better prognosis.
When working with a patient that has congestive heart failure you should do the following steps to help the doctor get the right diagnosis. First you need to do a physical exam. You would interview the patient, ask for history, medications, and any allergies. Then get vital signs, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and breathe rate. Patients’ height and weight. If the information you gather shows anything abnormal or questionable speak with doctor to continue with more test. With a patient that has congestive heart failure you would need to do blood work, chest x-rays, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, so that the doctor can find the cause of the (CHF). You may not be the one to do some of the test needed, but must be able to explain in detail of what the patient needs to do for the doctor. Example not all offices have x-ray or an echocardiogram in the office. Make sure when you explain any procedures or test, that you speak in terms the patient will understand. You would have to explain the reason for the x-ray. The doctor wants to see the size of the heart and fluid buildup. Echocardiogram is for the doctor to see the heart movement. The doctor would like to do blood work and that is to check to see if your kidney and thyroid is elevated. The B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) is to check on how much is being secreted. (BNP) lets the doctor know if heart failure is just developing. If patient has already been diagnosed with (CFH), the blood test will show more (BNP) meaning the condition has become worse. You would need to do an electrocardiogram (EKG) to get a recording of the heart impulses. When all test are complete the doctor
What is congestive heart failure? Congestive heart failure (CHF) is when the heart can no longer pump blood efficiently. The four heart chambers become stretched, stiff, and the blood thickens. Arteries become narrow causing the heart walls to weaken. The body then starts to retain fluid from the kidneys. The fluid then starts to buildup in the lungs, limbs and other organs. The fluid buildup makes the body become congested, and this is how you get the condition congestive heart failure. Many things can contribute in the cause of congestive heart failure, and there are many ways to prevent this condition.
Causes of (CHF)
Causes of congestive heart failure can be from any conditions that will weaken or cause …show more content…
As a medical assistant you will see many causes of congestive heart failure. You will learn how disease, birth defects, viruses, and the patients’ life style can lead to congestive heart failure. You will learn how to help the patients with better prognosis.
When working with a patient that has congestive heart failure you should do the following steps to help the doctor get the right diagnosis. First you need to do a physical exam. You would interview the patient, ask for history, medications, and any allergies. Then get vital signs, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and breathe rate. Patients’ height and weight. If the information you gather shows anything abnormal or questionable speak with doctor to continue with more test. With a patient that has congestive heart failure you would need to do blood work, chest x-rays, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, so that the doctor can find the cause of the (CHF). You may not be the one to do some of the test needed, but must be able to explain in detail of what the patient needs to do for the doctor. Example not all offices have x-ray or an echocardiogram in the office. Make sure when you explain any procedures or test, that you speak in terms the patient will understand. You would have to explain the reason for the x-ray. The doctor wants to see the size of the heart and fluid buildup. Echocardiogram is for the doctor to see the heart movement. The doctor would like to do blood work and that is to check to see if your kidney and thyroid is elevated. The B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) is to check on how much is being secreted. (BNP) lets the doctor know if heart failure is just developing. If patient has already been diagnosed with (CFH), the blood test will show more (BNP) meaning the condition has become worse. You would need to do an electrocardiogram (EKG) to get a recording of the heart impulses. When all test are complete the doctor