Acute heart failure

Question 1

What is the initial pharmacological treatment ?

Answer 1

• Offer intravenous diuretic therapy to people with acute heart failure. Start treatment using either a bolus or infusion strategy.
• Closely monitor the person’s renal function, weight and urine output during diuretic therapy.

Question 2

How to diagnose heart falilure ?

Answer 2

• Pro BNP
• ECHO

Question 3

How to treat heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction ?

Answer 3

• ACE inhibitor
• Beta blocker

Start low and increase with both of these.

If the person remains symptomatic — offer a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) in addition to an ACE inhibitor (or AIIRA) and beta-blocker. eg spiralactalone and elperelone.

Question 4

What is HFpEF?

Answer 4

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), also referred to as diastolic heart failure, is characterized by signs and symptoms of heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) greater than 50%

This is usually associated with impaired left ventricular relaxation, rather than left ventricular contraction, and is characterised by normal or preserved left ventricular ejection fraction with evidence of diastolic dysfunction .

Question 5

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is below what ?

Answer 5

40%