LEFT SIDE - Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) PDF

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LEFT SIDE - CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE (CHF)...

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LEFT SIDE - CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE (CHF) What is it & What Causes it  Failure of the heart when the ventricular muscles are permanently damaged that it can no longer pump effectively CHF can occur anytime after a myocardial infarction, from heart valve damage, long-standing high blood pressure or any condition that weakens pumping strength

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Signs & Symptoms Chest pain (may or may not be present) Distended neck veins Swollen ankles (from dependent edema) High blood pressure Rapid heart rate & rapid respirations Using accessory breathing muscles Cyanotic & sweaty Crackle lung sounds 

 Treatments Position Comfortably Patients find it easier to breathe when sitting in an upright position with legs down Administer high-flow oxygen Be reassuring Gather medications if they had issues with CHF before Nitroglycerin may be valuable in reducing pulmonary edema if patient’s systolic blood pressure is more than 100 mm Hg Transport promptly Consider ALS

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Notes Called “congestive” heart failure because the lungs become congested with fluid once the left side of the heart fails to pump effectively. Blood tends to back up in the pulmonary vein. Pulmonary Edema: when pressure in the capillaries of the lungs exceeds a certain level, fluid (mostly water) passes through the walls of the capillary vessels and into the alveoli Dependent Edema: collection of fluid in the part of the body closest to the ground. If the right side of the heart is damaged, fluid collects in the body often showing up as swelling in the feet and legs.  ...