congestive heart failure

Question 1

what is congestive heart failure

Answer 1

fluid builds up around the heart causing the ventricles and muscles to stop contracting properly. The heart muscles become too weak to effectively pump blood around the body

Question 2

what are the main causes of congestive heart failure

Answer 2

hypertension, coronary artery disease, obesity

Question 3

what are symptoms of congestive heart failure

Answer 3

fatigue
shrotness of breath
peripheral oedema
weight gain
nocturnal polyuria (increased urine production at night)

Question 4

what does congestive heart failure lead to

Answer 4

blood in the lungs because there is a congestion build up.
can lead to death because the body is not getting blood

Question 5

what is systolic heart failure

Answer 5

when the heart can not pump enough

Question 6

what is diastolic heart failure

Answer 6

the heart is not filling with enough blood

Question 7

what is right sided heart failure

Answer 7

• often caused by left sided heart failure
• pressure in the pulmoary artery leads to it being harder for the right ventricle to pump blood into
• fluid volume can increase on the right side fom a shunt defect so blood goes flows from the left side to the right
• makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body
• cor pulmonale (Long-term high blood pressure in the arteries of the lung and right ventricle of the heart)

Question 8

what is left sided heart failure

Answer 8

• usually systolic (not pumping enough)
• caused by damage to the heart muscle (myocardium)
• caused by plaque buildup in the coronary artery
• caused by long standing hypertention as there is arterial pressure and it is harder to pump
• caused by dilated cardiomypathy (makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body)

Question 9

treatment for left sided heart failure

Answer 9

medications are used to improve blood flow
- ace inhibitors- dilate blood vessels
- diuretics- reduce fluid buildup

Question 10

treatment for right sided heart failure

Answer 10

the same as left sided as it is often caused by left sided heart failure
- ace inhibitors- dilate blood vessels
- diuretics- reduce fluid buildup

Question 11

treatment of cardiac resynchronization therpay

Answer 11

heart failure can lead to arrythmias so CRT stimulatres the ventrilces to contract at the same time

Question 12

what are other treatments

Answer 12

• heart transplant
• ventricle assist device- helps the heart pump blood

Question 13

how is congestive heart failure diagnosed

Answer 13

• ECG
• echocardiogram (uses sound waves to show how blood flows through the heart and heart valves)
• CT scan
• MRI scan
• PET scan
• biopsy or catheterization of the heart and artieries