Heart Failure Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts related to heart failure, including types, symptoms, epidemiology, management, and complications.

Heart Failure

A clinical syndrome where the heart cannot maintain adequate output or does so only at the expense of elevated ventricular filling pressure.

Left Heart Failure

Characterized by a reduction in left ventricular output and an increase in left atrial and pulmonary venous pressure, leading to pulmonary edema.

Right Heart Failure

Characterized by a reduction in right ventricular output and increased right atrial and systemic venous pressure, often caused by chronic lung disease.

Biventricular Heart Failure

A condition where both sides of the heart are affected, typically due to diseases affecting both ventricles.

Epidemiology of Heart Failure

Heart failure typically affects the elderly, with prevalence rising from 1% at age 50-59 to over 10% at age 80-89.

Ventricular Dysfunction

Occurs due to impaired systolic contraction or diastolic dysfunction, leading to reduced cardiac output.

Starling's Law

Describes the relationship between preload, afterload, and myocardial contractility affecting cardiac output.

Neurohumoral Activation

A vicious cycle in heart failure where activation of the sympathetic nervous system and renin-angiotensin system leads to further cardiac output decline.

Acute Left Heart Failure

Presents with sudden dyspnea and may have a precipitating factor such as an acute myocardial infarction.

Chronic Heart Failure

A condition characterized by a relapsing and remitting course with periods of stability and episodes of decompensation.

Complications of Heart Failure

Can include renal failure, electrolyte imbalances (hypo/hyperkalemia), liver dysfunction, thromboembolism, and ventricular arrhythmias.

Management of Acute Heart Failure

Involves sitting the patient up, administering oxygen and nitrates, and diuretics for fluid overload.

ACE Inhibitors

Drugs central to managing heart failure, reducing vasoconstriction, fluid retention, and improving cardiac function.

Beta-blockers

Used to counteract sympathetic stimulation effects in heart failure, reducing mortality and hospitalizations.

Cardiac Transplantation

An effective treatment for intractable heart failure, especially in younger patients, but comes with risks such as rejection and infection.

Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)

Used as a bridge to cardiac transplantation or long-term therapy in severe heart failure, providing mechanical support.