Describe the pathophysiology of left-sided heart failure.
The left side of the heart supplies oxygenated blood to the systemic circulation. When there is a left-sided heart failure, the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for oxygenated blood. There is also increased pressure in the atrium which in turn also causes elevated pressure in the lungs that results in pulmonary congestion and edema. Episodes of pulmonary edema usually occur at night.
2. Which of the clinical manifestations given in the case would be found in a patient with left-sided heart failure and why?
The crackles heard in his lungs confirm that there is fluid in the lungs. This congestion is the cause of his shortness of breath. His increased blood …show more content…
The impact on preload would depend on what the underlying cause of the left-side of the heart is. If there is an issue with the mitral valve, then preload would be decreased due to the impaired ability of the left atrium to push all the blood into the left ventricle. The afterload would increase (hypertension). Because he had an MI years prior, his heart’s contractility is already lower than normal; left-sided heart failure weakens the wall even more so (and is usually visible as an enlarged heart).
4. Describe other clinical manifestations the nurse would monitor for in this patient. Which clinical manifestations would be seen in only left-sided failure? Which symptoms would occur if right-sided failure was present also?
The patient should be monitored for increased blood volume; pulmonary edema; cough, due to pulmonary congestion – these are characteristic of left-sided heart failure. In right-sided heart failure, hepatomegaly could occur due to the increased pressure within the hepatic vein; ascites could occur because of the pooling of blood in the inferior vena cava; and pitting edema could also occur due to increased fluid retention in the veins (from increased capillary
The left side of the heart supplies oxygenated blood to the systemic circulation. When there is a left-sided heart failure, the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for oxygenated blood. There is also increased pressure in the atrium which in turn also causes elevated pressure in the lungs that results in pulmonary congestion and edema. Episodes of pulmonary edema usually occur at night.
2. Which of the clinical manifestations given in the case would be found in a patient with left-sided heart failure and why?
The crackles heard in his lungs confirm that there is fluid in the lungs. This congestion is the cause of his shortness of breath. His increased blood …show more content…
The impact on preload would depend on what the underlying cause of the left-side of the heart is. If there is an issue with the mitral valve, then preload would be decreased due to the impaired ability of the left atrium to push all the blood into the left ventricle. The afterload would increase (hypertension). Because he had an MI years prior, his heart’s contractility is already lower than normal; left-sided heart failure weakens the wall even more so (and is usually visible as an enlarged heart).
4. Describe other clinical manifestations the nurse would monitor for in this patient. Which clinical manifestations would be seen in only left-sided failure? Which symptoms would occur if right-sided failure was present also?
The patient should be monitored for increased blood volume; pulmonary edema; cough, due to pulmonary congestion – these are characteristic of left-sided heart failure. In right-sided heart failure, hepatomegaly could occur due to the increased pressure within the hepatic vein; ascites could occur because of the pooling of blood in the inferior vena cava; and pitting edema could also occur due to increased fluid retention in the veins (from increased capillary