CHF 2
Noel Mathis RN, BSN, MSNCongestive Heart FailureCongestive heart failure occurs when there is a malfunction in thepumping action of either the left ventricle, right ventricle, or bothwhich causes blood to pool in the pulmonary arteries and/or veins.This pooling causes pulmonary congestion (fluid build up in the lungs),reduced cardiac output, increased strain on the heart, decreasedefficiency of the heart muscle contraction, reduced stroke volume,increased heart rate, and hypertrophy; leading to increased risk of cardiac arrest and a decreased blood supply to the rest of the body.Since blood is the oxygen/nutrient supply to the cells, the effects of CHF are systemic.Risk factors for developing CHF are disorders that increase cardiacworkload and disorders that disrupt the pumping ability of the heart.Examples of such diseases are, CAD, cardiomyopathy, acutemyocardial infarction, disease of the heart valves, fluid volumeoverload hypertension, COPD, pulmonary hypertension, and anemia.My patient had triple bypass surgery six years ago, so the cause of herCHF is most likely from acute myocardial infarction.The diagnosis of CHF is primarily made from a composite of patienthistory, physical exam, laboratory studies, and radiographs. Lab
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