Heart failure Flashcards
What is meant by heart failure?
This is a state in which the heart is unable to pump blood at a rate commensurate with the requirements of tissue, or can only do so at high pressure
What is meant by HF-pEF?
Heart Failure with preserves Ejection Fraction
What is meant by HF-rEF?
Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction
What is ejection fraction?
This is the percentage of blood that is pumped out of the heart during each beat
What is considered to be a normal ejection fraction?
≥50%
What is meant by a reduced ejection fraction in heart failure?
≤40%
What are some conditions that can cause systolic dysfunction in heart failure?
Arrhythmia
Myocarditis
Dilated cardiomyopathy
Ischaemic heart disease
What are some conditions that can cause diastolic dysfunction in heart failure?
Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy
Restrictive cardiomyopathy
Cardiac tamponade
Constrictive pericarditis
What are some core symptoms in heart failure?
Dyspnoea
Cough
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnoea
Orthopnoea
Fatigue
Peripheral oedema
What sided heart failure will usually cause pulmonary oedema?
Left - Lungs
What sided heart failure will usually cause peripheral oedema?
Right - Rest of body
How is the effect of heart failure on physical activity classified?
New York Heart Association Classification:
I - No limitation to physical activity
II - Slight limitation to physical activity
III - Marked limitation of physical activity
IV - Unable to carry out physical activity
What are some clinical signs of heart failure?
Elevated JVP
Tachycardia
Cardiomegaly
S3 and S4 heart sounds
Bi-basal crackles
Ascites
Tender hepatomegaly
Ankle oedema
What are some symptoms more suggestive of left sided heart failure?
pulmonary oedema:
dyspnoea
orthopnoea
paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
bibasal fine crackles
What are some symptoms more suggestive of right sided heart failure?
peripheral oedema
ankle/sacral oedema
raised jugular venous pressure
hepatomegaly
weight gain due to fluid retention
anorexia (‘cardiac cachexia’)