HF Flashcards
What is HF?
A 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
A chronic, progressive condition where the heart isn’t able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen
What is cardiac output?
CO = SV x HR
What factors impact CO?
Contractility
Preload
Afterload
What is contractility?
The heart’s ability to squeeze - “force of contraction”
When it is inadequate, it is called systolic failure
What makes the contractility bad?
- Dead tissue doesn’t move…post MI, cardiotoxic drugs (Adriamycin)
- Abnormal heart cells (muscular dystrophy)
- Excessive wall stress (dilation of ventricle, neurohormonal activation)
What is preload?
The amount of blood filling the ventricle
What is afterload?
The resistance the heart must pump against to empty the ventricle
Elevated afterload in HTN and aortic stenosis
Why do people get HF?
- Impaired contractility (systolic failure)
- Increased afterload (heart can’t overcome resistance)
- Impaired filling/inability to relax (diastolic failure)
What are causes of HFrEF (systolic failure)?
Impaired contractility 2/2:
- MI
- Chronic volume overload from mitral regurgitation or aortic regurgitation (causes too much blood in the LV –> dilation –> decreased function)
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (no evident cause)
Increased afterload 2/2:
- Aortic stenosis
- HTN
What is normal EF?
55-70%?
What are causes of HFpEF (diastolic failure)?
Impaired relaxation 2/2:
- LVH (cavity is smaller due to thicker ventricle, decreased blood fill)
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy (muscle or pericardium is so stiff that heart can’t relax)
- MI
Insufficient preload 2/2:
- Mitral stenosis
- Pericardial constriction
What are the symptoms of HF?
- Dyspnea
- Ankle edema
- Pulmonary edema
- Fatigue
- Exercise intolerance
- Orthopnea
- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (sleeping on many pillows?)
- Weight loss and cachexia (because heart is working extra hard and cannot get adequate calories…late stage)
- Cough
- Nocturia
- Palpitations
- Depression
What are the signs of HF?
- Elevated venous pressure
- Positive hepatojugular reflux
- Tachycardia
- Pulmonary rales
- Tachypnea
- Third/fourth heart sound
- Hepatomegaly
- Ankle edema
- Cardiomegaly
- Splenomegaly (2/2 increased venous pressure)
- Hypotension (inadequate blood pumped from heart)
- Pulsus alternans (alternating strong and weak beats, almost always indicates systolic HF)
- Extrasystoles (beat outside of normal rhythm)
- A fib
- Weight loss
- Ascites
- Pleural effusion
What are signs and symptoms of left-sided HF?
- Dyspnea and orthopnea (pulmonary edema)
- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND)
- Fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance
- Tachycardia, tachypnea
- Pulmonary rales
- S3/S4 gallop
Can lead to right-sided HF
What are signs and symptoms of right-sided HF?
- Peripheral edema
- Hepatomegaly (pain?)
- JVD (with hepatojugular reflux - rises at least 3 cm and is sustained throughout entire time pressure is exerted on liver)
- Fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance
- S3/S4 gallop
What is S4?
Atrial gallop that occurs during the active filling of the ventricle (atrial contraction)
Often a sign of diastolic HF
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What is S3?
Ventricular gallop that occurs during passive filling of the ventricle
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What are the NYHA Classes of HF?
Class I (Mild) = no limitation of physical activity. Ordinary physical activity does NOT cause undue fatigue, palpitation, or dyspnea (SOB)
Class II (Mild) = slight limitation of physical activity. Comfortable at rest, but ordinary physical activity DOES result in fatigue, palpitation, or dyspnea
Class III (Moderate) = MARKED LIMITATION of physical activity. Comfortable at rest, but less than ordinary activity causes fatigue, palpitation, or dyspnea
Class IV (Severe) = Unable to carry out any physical activity without discomfort. Symptoms of cardiac insufficiency AT REST. If any physical activity is undertaken, discomfort increases
What are guideline suggestions for managing a “Stage A” patient (at high risk for HF but without structural heart disease or sx of HF)?
These are patients with HTN, atherosclerotic disease, DM, obesity, or metabolic syndrome
OR patients using cardiotoxins or with family history of cardiomyopathy
Goals: heart healthy lifestyle, prevent vascular coronary disease, prevent LV structural abnormalities
Drugs:
- ACEs or ARBs in appropriate patients for vascular disease or DM
- Statins as appropriate
What are guideline suggestions for managing a “Stage B” patient (NYHA Class I: structural heart disease but without sx of HF)?
These are patients with previous MI, LV remodeling (LVH and low EF), or asymptomatic valvular disease
Goals: Prevent HF sx, prevent further cardiac remodeling
Drugs:
- ACEs or ARBs as appropriate
- BBs as appropriate
In select patients, ICD or revascularization or valvular surgery
What are guideline suggestions for managing a “Stage C” patient with HFpEF (NYHA Class II-III: structural heart disease with prior or current sx of HF)?
These are patients with known structural heart disease and HF s/sx
Goals: control sx, improve HRQOL, prevent hospitalization and mortality, identify comorbidities
Treatment:
- Diuresis to relieve sx of congestion
- Follow guideline indications for comorbidities (HTN, AF, CAD, DM, etc.)
What are guideline suggestions for managing a “Stage C” patient with HFrEF (NYHA Class II-III: structural heart disease with prior or current sx of HF)?
These are patients with known structural heart disease and HF s/sx
Goals: control sx, patient education, prevent hospitalizations and mortality
Drugs:
- Diuretics for fluid retention
- ACEs or ARBs
- BBs
- Aldosterone antagonists
- In some patients: hydralazine/isosorbide dinitrate; ACE and ARB; digitalis
In select patients: CRT; ICD; revascularization or valvular surgery