Scribd
Upload
243 views2 pages

Heart Failure Pathophysiology Guide

Modifiable risk factors for congestive heart failure include hypertension and myocardial ischemia. The patient is a 62-year-old female. Congestive heart failure occurs when the left ventricle fails, leading to low cardiac output, pulmonary congestion from fluid backing up into the lungs, and symptoms like weakness, fatigue, and dyspnea. Fluid builds up in the lungs and compresses airways, making breathing difficult.

Uploaded by

Nicole Villanueva, BSN - Level 3A
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
243 views2 pages

Heart Failure Pathophysiology Guide

Modifiable risk factors for congestive heart failure include hypertension and myocardial ischemia. The patient is a 62-year-old female. Congestive heart failure occurs when the left ventricle fails, leading to low cardiac output, pulmonary congestion from fluid backing up into the lungs, and symptoms like weakness, fatigue, and dyspnea. Fluid builds up in the lungs and compresses airways, making breathing difficult.

Uploaded by

Nicole Villanueva, BSN - Level 3A
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Pathophysiology

Modifiable Risk Factors Non-Modifiable Risk Factors

-Myocardial Ischemia Age: 62

-Hypertension Gender: Female

Congestive heart failure

Left-sided heart failure

Failure of the left ventricle

Low cardiac output Pulmonary congestion

Low perfusion of Weakness, High pulmonary venous


Sympathetic Pulmonary
tissues fatigue blood pressure forces
activation congestion backs up
fluid out of capillaries, blood into the right-
into pulmonary heart, and eventually
interstitium & alveoli into systemic venous
Peripheral Tissue hypoxia
circulation
Tachycardia, vasoconstriction, anaerobic
palpitations, diverting limited respiration,
lactic acid Fluid
diaphoresis stroke volume to
production compresses Fluid is “gravity dependent”
core organs
(sweating) (acidosis) airways, Settles to lower lung lobes.
resistance
to airflow
Overtime, blood vessels in
Cool, clammy
Respiratory, better ventilated upper lobes
extremities
Centers try to Respiratory reflexively dilate, to gas
compensate muscles work exchange
by resp rate harder to
ventilate lungs
But when supine, blood and
alveolar fluid both re-settle
Tachypnea along the posterior wall of the
Dyspnea
lung
Ventilation of perfused alveoli

Hydrostatic pressure in veins forces fluid


Orthopnea (late sign) out into interstitial tissue, especially in
gravity-dependent areas

Sitting up: edema re-settles in


lower lung lobes, & blood re- Lower extremities
perfuses better- ventilated edema
upper lobes, gas exchange

Orthopnea relieved by
sitting upright

You might also like