Contains the definition of heart failure, its symptoms, the aetiology of acute and chronic heart failure and the pathology.
Covers the Frank starling relationship, explains preload, afterload, myocardial contractility and the compensatory mechanisms. .
Pathophysiology of heart failure.
Heart failure is a syndrome (collection of signs and symptoms), its where there is an inadequate
cardiac output for the perfusion requirements of tissues. It usually implies a disturbance in
ventricular function. The 2 types of heart failure are low output heart failure which is more
common, and high output heart failure
It can be caused by an excessive workload such as anemia, pagets disease and throtoxocosis.
Excessive work load means tissues are too demanding on the heart.
Heart failure results in diminished blood flow to the tissues and congestion in the pulmonary bed/
peripheral tissue.
Symptoms of heart failure include: (these are very broad symptoms that can imply another
disease)
-Fatigue
-Oedema (retention of salt and water, increased blood volume and back pressure)
-Breathlessness
-Gastrointestinal disturbances
Left heart failure is the most common and it’s when the left ventricles are not functioning properly
-Fluid backs up in the lungs
-Fluid leaks out of vessels
-There’s less efficient gas exchange
Left heart failure can lead to
-Dyspnoea (abnormal breathing)
-Pulmonary oedema ( fluid in the pulmonary vasculature and alveoli)
-Pulmonary haemorrhage
Atherosclerosis is the most common form of cardiac disease in the western world and ischaemic
heart disease is a leading cause of heart failure.
Aetiology
It’s important to identify the cause of heart failure these can include.
-Ischaemic heart disease
-Congenital heart disease
-Secondary to severe lung disease
-Pericardial disease
-Hypertension
-Heart valve disorders
All these may be precipitating factors.
Acute myocardial dysfunction Acute valve defect
-Cardiogenic shock after MI -Rupture in infective endocarditis.
-Myocarditis
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