Heart Failure Flashcards
What is the definition of heart failure?
Complex clinical syndrome that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the ventricle to fill with or eject blood
What is the difference between heart failure and dysfunction?
Dysfunction is asymptomatic
What is the difference between systolic and diastolic dysfunction?
Systolic is impaired cardiac contractile function and diastolic is abnormal cardiac relaxation, stiffness or filling
What if left heart failure characterized by?
Elevated LV filling pressures
How do you increase preload?
Increase venous return, filling time, ventricular compliance and filling pressure
How do you increase afterload?
Increase PVR and aortic pressure and decrease arterial wall compliance
What is the progression of heart failure?
Myocardial disease
Impaired ventricular performance/ventricular arrhythmias
Neurohormonal stimulation
Vasoconstriction/sodium retention
Increased impedance/ventricular dilation (then goes back to the second one)
What is HFrEF?
HF with reduced EF
Clinical signs/sxs of HF, systolic dysfunction (EF<40%) and increased LV volumes
How does the left ventricle change in HFrEF?
Progressive chamber dilation (cardiomyocytes elongate) and eccentric remodeling due to volume overload
What are causes of HFrEF?
Impaired contractility (CAD/cardiomyopathy) or high afterload from HTN
What is HFpEF?
HF with preserved EF
Clinical signs and sxs of HF and diastolic dysfunction seen on an echo (abnormal mechanical properties of ventricle like impaired relaxation of decreased compliance)
How do the ventricles change in HFpEF?
Concentric remodeling or hypertrophy due to a pressure overload
What happens when LV diastolic pressure is increased?
Increases pulmonary venous pressure (see dyspnea, exercise intolerance and pulm congestion)
What are big contributors of HFpEF?
Hypertension/LVH, aging, CAD, DM, sleep disordered breathing, obesity, kidney disease
What causes overlap between HFrEF and HFpEF?
Older age, HTN, CAD and DM
Pts with HFpEF tend to be…
Older, frequently with HTN, overweight, more often women
What is the most common cause of right heart failure?
Left heart failure (because it is a low pressure, high compliance system and doesn’t tolerate increases in afterload)
Risk factors of HF
CAD, smoking, HTN, overweight, DM, valvular heart disease
What is the most common cause of heart failure?
Coronary artery disease
What sxs will the patient report with HF?
Dyspnea, nocturnal/nonproductive cough, fatigue/weakness, dependent edema, weight gain (may have ascites, RUQ discomfort or nocturia)
What will be seen on the physical exam?
Edema, elevated JVD, crackles at the bases, displaced PMI, S3/S4 gallop, hepatomegaly, hepatojugular reflux
What survey is useful for the diagnosis of heart failure?
Modified Framingham Clinical Criteria
What is the progression of left heart failure?
Decreased CO and pulmonary congestion
What is the progression of right heart failure?
Congestion of peripheral tissues
Differences in clinical presenation between left and right HF?
Left: dyspnea, diaphoresis, tachypnea, tachycardia, rales, S3/S4
Right: peripheral edema, RUQ pain, JVD, ascites
What are some ddx for HF?
MI, peripheral vascular disease, pulmonary diseae, GI disease, sleep apnea, depression
What lab studies must all pts with heart failure get?
ECG, echo and CXR