simple pathophysiology of heart failure?

[plethoraldork]

please help. i need simple pathophysiology of congestive heart failure... does anyone of you here can share or do you know any website? than you very much

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

a book called pathophysiology: a 2-in-1 reference for nurses has one of the nicest and simple explanations of heart failure in it that i have seen. it was published by springhouse.

there is an online website that does an extensive explanation of heart failure over a number of webpages you need to click through. here is the website:

• http://cvphysiology.com/index.html - cardiovascular physiology concepts, click on the "heart failure" link at the left side of the page

[Alternator81]

There are 2 different types of CHF, left sided and right sided, and both have different symtoms.

In right sided CHF, the right side of the heart is not pumping blood into the pulmonary arteries and into the lungs. Because of this blood builds up behind the heart-- patient develops pitting edema.

When the patient has Left sided CHF, the left ventricle is not pumping blood out of the lungs/pulmonary vein sufficiently. So, the lungs get over saturated with blood - the pressure from the right side causes a shift of fluid from the intravascular space into the lungs causing the main symptom of L CHF- crackles in the lungs. Other s/s d/t fluid in the lungs: increased respiratory rate, impaired gas exchange because of all the fluid--> SOB. Pt's are usually on O2, head in high fowlers, and lasix given to help pull back fluid from lungs into the intravascular space.

THat is as simple as I think you can make it. Hope it somehow helps.

[123mariern]

what heart sounds are associated with mitral regurgitation

[dazetrin]

on point......

[Joe1984]

Left = Lung! Left Sided heart failure will backup into the lungs! Anything that affects your cardiac output can be a ventricular dysfunction i.e. Preload, afterload, contractility, and HR... which will result in manifestations of CHF. Just remember, CHF itself is not a disease, just a group of s/s related to inadequate heart pumping performance.

[aquarius04]

here is a video i found...hopefully it helps

[AgentBeast, MSN, RN]

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