Heart Failure
Heart Failure Chapter Overview
Jennifer Kong
Chapter Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Define and differentiate left- versus right-sided heart failure.
- Identify structural and histological changes in the lungs and right- versus left-side of the heart, dependent on the type of heart failure.
- Explain why pulmonary edema is associated with left-sided heart failure.
- Briefly describe how interprofessional collaboration of health care professions work towards diagnosis of heart failure.
Heart failure, sometimes known as congestive heart failure (CHF), occurs when your heart muscle can’t pump well anymore. As a result, your heart is too weak or damaged to fill and pump efficiently. Heart failure can be subclassified with each classification having different causes and exhibit their own set of signs, symptoms, and diagnostic findings.
This chapter is subdivided into:
- Pre-test
- Normal heart anatomy, physiology & histology
- Types & causes of heart failure
- Pathophysiology of heart failure
- Left sided heart failure with pulmonary complications
- Right sided heart failure with liver complications
- Interview with health care professionals diagnosing/treating those with heart failure and its complications
- Cardiac sonographer (Echocardiogram)
- Medical Radiographer (Xray)
- Medical Laboratory Science technologist (Microbiologist)
- Case study of a patient experiencing heart failure and their patient journey and interactions with health care professionals
- Post-test
Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used throughout the chapter.
| ANS | Autonomic Nervous System |
| CCT | Certified Cardiographic Technician |
| CHF | Congestive Heart Failure |
| CPR | Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation |
| CRAT | Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician |
| FACC | Fellow of the American College of Cardiology |
| HDL | High-Density Lipoprotein |
| IVC | Inferior Vena Cava(e) |
| LAD | Left Anterior Descending Artery |
| LDL | Low-Density Lipoprotein |
| MI | Myocardial Infarction |
| RCCS | Registered Congenital Cardiac Sonographer |
| RCES | Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist |
| RCIS | Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist |
| RCS | Registered Cardiac Sonographer |
| RPhS | Registered Phlebology Sonographer |
| RVS | Registered Vascular Specialist |
| STEMI | ST-Elevated MI |
definition
heart is too weak or damaged to fill and pump efficiently resulting in blood pooling upstream (i.e. into lungs for left-sided and venous system for right-sided)
