Heart Failure

Question 1

What are left sided HF symptoms?

Answer 1

Pulmonary congestion
Tachycardia
Fatigue
Cyanosis

Question 2

What are right sided HF symptoms?(7)

Answer 2

Fatigue 
Ascites
Enlarged liver and spleen 
JVD 
Weight gain
Nocturia
Dependent edema

Question 3

Which two drugs are classified as preload reducers and why?

Answer 3

Diuretics and nitroglycerin (vasodilator). They decrease the amount of blood returning to the heart.

Question 4

What are after load reducers? what do they do?

Answer 4

Ace inhibitors, arbs, diuretics. They decrease myocardial workload by decreasing the resistance that the heart has to pimp against

Question 5

What drugs are often used to treat CHF?(5)

Answer 5

Positive inotropes - Cardiac glycosides (digoxin)
Diuretics
B blockers
Ace inhibitors/ARBs

Question 6

What contractility reducers are used in CHF? How do they work?

Answer 6

B blocker, decrease contractile force.

Question 7

What diagnostics are important in CHF?

Answer 7

Chest X-ray 
Echo (ejection fraction)
ECG 
Angiogram 
BNP 
Electrolytes (Na, K)
Bun, creatinine, GFR
Hgb, RBC, HCT 
Urinalysis

Question 8

What is BNP?

Answer 8

Secreted by the ventricles of the heart in response to stretching of cardiac muscle

Question 9

What does BNP do?

Answer 9

Decreased systemic vascular resistance and central venous pressure
Increases naturesis