Heart failure

Question 1

definition of heart failure?

Answer 1

The inability of the heart to pump adequate amounts of blood to meet the body’s metabolic demands

Question 2

what percentage of the population in the UK have CCF?

Answer 2

1-2%

Question 3

Give some examples of how heart failures can be categorised?

Answer 3

Question 4

average age of diagnosis of HF?

Answer 4

77

Question 5

give some causes of HF

Answer 5

Question 6

four classic symptoms of HF?

Answer 6

Question 7

four main signs of HF?

Answer 7

(answers in bold)

Question 8

in which two ways can a echocardiogram demonstrate HF?

Answer 8

Question 9

in primary care in the UK, which blood test result is used to stratify patients?

Answer 9

BNP (brain natriuretic peptide)
>2,000 = urgent referral for echo
400 - 2000 = referral within 6 weeks
<400 = HF unlikely

Question 10

what criteria used to be used to diagnose HF?

Answer 10

Question 11

ejection fractions of what percentage indicate heart failure?

Answer 11

<40%

Question 12

three investigations for HF?

Answer 12

echo
CXR
BNP (proven to be correlated with cardiac filling pressures)

Question 13

What grades can HF be split into?

Answer 13

Question 14

four complications of HF?

Answer 14

Question 15

what drug group is first line in all patents with a LVEF < 40%?

Answer 15

ACE-inhibitors
(unless they have renal artery stenosis or previous angioedema)

Question 16

when are ACE inhibitors not recommended as first line for patients with LVEF < 40%?

Answer 16

• renal artery stenosis
• previous angioedema

Question 17

what four drug types can be used to treat HF?

Answer 17

A,B,C,D

Ace inhibitors
Beta blockers
Calcium channel blockers
Diuretics

Question 18

what is cor pulmonale?

Answer 18

right sided HF caused by respiratory disease (pulmonary HTN leads to backing up of blood)

Question 19

what’s the most common cause of cor pulmonale?

Answer 19

Question 20

main presenting complaint of cor pulmonale?

Answer 20

SOB