Medications for Heart Failure Upload

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

A condition in which the heart is unable to pump effectively, leading to inadequate blood flow to meet the body's needs.

Systolic Heart Failure

A type of heart failure characterized by a reduced ejection fraction (

Diastolic Heart Failure

A type of heart failure where the left ventricle is stiff and cannot fill properly, maintaining a normal ejection fraction (EF >50%).

Left-Sided Heart Failure

A condition where the left ventricle struggles to pump oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium, leading to decreased cardiac output and pulmonary congestion.

Right-Sided Heart Failure

A condition where the right side of the heart fails to pump blood effectively, causing back-up of blood and symptoms such as edema and fatigue.

ACE Inhibitors

Medications that prevent the conversion of angiotensin 1 to angiotensin 2, reducing preload and afterload, and improving symptoms in heart failure.

Beta Blockers

Medications that block beta-receptors in the sympathetic nervous system, decreasing heart rate and contractility, and improving outcomes in heart failure.

Loop Diuretics

Medications that inhibit sodium or chloride reabsorption in the kidneys, decreasing blood volume and cardiac workload.

Nitrates

Medications that dilate blood vessels, decreasing preload and afterload, commonly used in treating angina and heart failure.

Cardiac Glycosides: Digoxin

A medication used in heart failure that increases intracellular calcium, enhancing myocardial contractility and renal perfusion.

Pulmonary Congestion

A condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs due to heart failure, leading to symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing.

Ejection Fraction

A percentage measure of how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction, used to assess heart function.

Orthopnea

Difficulty breathing while lying flat, often seen in patients with heart failure.

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea

Episodes of sudden shortness of breath at night, typically waking the patient from sleep, associated with heart failure.

Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS)

A hormone system that regulates blood pressure and fluid balance, often activated in heart failure.

Hypertrophy

The thickening of the heart muscles, which can lead to diastolic dysfunction in heart failure.

Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (PCWP)

A measurement used to assess left atrial pressure and indirectly evaluate left ventricular function in heart failure.

Symptomatic Heart Failure (Stage C)

Heart failure characterized by current or previous symptoms and signs, indicating progression in the disease stages.

Advanced Heart Failure (Stage D)

A stage where patients have marked heart failure symptoms that interfere with daily life and require specialized interventions.