Heart Failure

Question 1

what is the basic pattern of heart failure?

Answer 1

heart follows this general sequence:

1. overload: anything that causes the heart fo work harder/BP to fail
2. adaptation: body’s collaboration to restore normal hemodynamics (flow/pressure)
3. failure: the body’s best efforts fail

Question 2

what is the “initial event” in heart failure?

what does it induce in the heart?

Answer 2

• initial event = some type of cardiac overload
  
  • pressure overload - see in HTN
  • volume overload - seen in valvular dysfunction
  • pump failure/insufficiency - seen in ischemia
    
    • pump dysfunction appears like a pressure overload
• causes:
  
  • a decrease in CO (from 5/L min) as heart can’t get blood out
  • an increase in RAP as blood backs up into RA

Question 3

what is Meerson phase I?