Left-Sided Heart Failure

1826 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Right sided heart failure case study

Diagnosis: Left-Sided Heart Failure
Left-sided heart failure is the most common type of heart failure, and it is a result of left-ventricular dysfunction. This disease poses a significant threat to patients because the primary function of the left side of the heart is to provide sufficient oxygenated blood to satisfy the metabolic demands of the body’s cells. Understanding the main function of this portion of the heart will help with the understanding of other complications associated with this diseased. Left-sided heart failure is usually the result of the loss of heart muscle function, specifically in the left ventricle secondary to coronary artery disease, prolonged hypertension, or myocardial infection (Lewis et al. 2014, 766). The pathophysiology of left-sided heart failure is primary a macroscopic disorder and will be described as such.
The loss of heart muscles leads to a decrease in cardiac output, increased preload and increased afterload. Cardiac output (CO) is equal to the stroke volume times the heart rate (CO = SV x HR). When the CO is decreased, the compensatory mechanisms in the body are activated to increase the stroke volume and heart rate, which consequently increases CO. The compensatory mechanism in the body increases the heart rate by releasing norepinephrine which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (Lewis et al. 2014, 768). The stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system causes vasoconstriction and increased heart rate. The compensatory mechanism in the body increases the stroke volume by activating the renin angiotensin aldosterone (RAA) System. This activation results in increased sodium and water retention which increases the stroke volume (Story 2012, 104).
The compensations will only maintain t...

... middle of paper ...

... Berger, eds. 2008. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Saunders Elsevier.

Lewis, Sharon Mantik, Shannon Ruff Dirksen, Margaret M. Heitkemper, and Linda Bucher. 2014. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems. 9th ed. St. Louis, MI: Elsevier Mosby.

Pai, Rakesh. 2011. “Echocardiogram”. WebMD. Last modified December 9. Accessed March 24, 2014. http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/echocardiogram?page=1.

Story, Lachel. 2012. Pathophysiology: A Practical Approach. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Vallerand, April Hazard, Cynthia A. Sanoski, and Judith Hopfer Deglin. 2013. Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses. 13th ed. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company.

Vallerand, April Hazard, Cynthia A. Sanoski, and Judith Hopfer Deglin. 2013. Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses. (CD) 13th ed. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company.

Show More
Related

  • Heart Failure: A Case Study

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sympathetic nervous stimulation: This compensatory mechanism is the first one. Epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) are released which causes an increase in BP and the heart to pump faster and more powerfully. They also increase cardiac output in this way it temporally helps compensate for the hearts reduced ability to pump blood. This is not good long term as it increased the amount of oxygen the myocardium needs.

    Read More

  • Blood Transfusion on Pregnant Jehovah’s Witness

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lilley, L. L., Rainforth, S., & Snider, J. (2013). Pharmacology and the Nursing Process (7th Ed.)

    Read More

  • Reflection Paper On Clinical Day

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    Overall, I retain three goals for this clinical day: Safely and efficently administer medication, enhance my nursing/CNA skills, and determine how to implement infection control into a health care setting. This week reflects my assigned time to administer medication in a health care setting for the first time, with a resident who retains nearly twenty medications. I except this experience will be a great learning experience, but it will also subsist slightly stressful. With the assistance of my FOR, my goal is to administer all of my resident 's medications without complications. To ensure that medication safety, I will perform the six medication rights and three checks prior to administration. Along with medication administration, a goal

    Read More

  • Nursing Diagnosis

    1434 Words  | 3 Pages

    Works Cited Ackley, B. & Ladwig, G. (2010) Nursing diagnosis handbook: an evidence-based guide to planning care. Maryland Heights, MO: Mosbey, MO. Ignatavicius, D. D., & Workman, M. L. (2013). Care of Intraoperative Patients.

    Read More

  • Overview of Congestive Heart Failure

    1371 Words  | 3 Pages

    Systolic and Diastolic are the two types of heart failure. Systolic dysfunction occurs when the heart muscle doesn't contract with enough force, which means there is less oxygen-rich blood that is pumped throughout the body. Diastolic dysfunction is when the heart contracts normally, but the ventricle does not relax properly, reducing the amount of blood that can enter the heart and raising the blood pressure in the lungs. Heart failure is a progressive condition and can worsen over time. There are four stages of heart failure that have been classified by the AHA and ACC.

    Read More

  • Cellulitis: A Skin Bacterial Infection

    692 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hochadel, M. (2014). Mosby's Drug Reference for Health Care Professionals (fourth edition ed.). : Elsevier.

    Read More

  • Treatment of Strokes

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    Handbook of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests with Nursing Implications (3rd edition). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

    Read More

  • Polypharmacy Among the Elderly

    1310 Words  | 3 Pages

    Polypharmacy among the elderly is a growing concern in U.S. healthcare system. Patients who have comorbities and take multiple medications are at a higher risk for potential adverse drug reactions. There is a great need for nursing interventions in conducting a patient medication review also known as “brown bag”. As nurses obtain history data from patients at a provider visit, the nurse should ask “what medications are you taking?” and the answer needs to include over-the-counter medications as well. If the response does not include any medications other than prescribed meds, it is incumbent upon the nursing professionals to question the patient further to ensure that no over-the-counter medications or supplements are being consumed. This is also an opportunity for the nurse to question about any adverse reactions the patient may be experiencing resulting from medications. Polypharmacy can result from patients having multiple prescribers and pharmacies, and patients continuing to take medications that have been discontinued by the physician. Nurses are in a unique position to provide early detection and intervention for potentially inappropriate medications and its associated adverse drug reactions.

    Read More

  • Polypharmacy Among the Elderly

    1517 Words  | 4 Pages

    Currently, through observations and clinical experience on Med/Surg at Cary Medical Center, medication is administered by the nurse. Nurses are responsible and accountable for administrating medications to patients. Patient medication education is conducted by the nurse. Medication education includes informing the patient the reason for the medication, when and how long to take the medication, drug interactions, and importance of checking with primary care provider prior to taking any over-the-counter or herbal products. If the nurse is unfamiliar with a certain medication, a drug book is available for the nurse to utilize and gain knowledge regarding the drug use, action, adverse reaction, and contraindications.

    Read More

  • Drug Administration to Patients

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    Drug administration forms a major part of the clinical nurse’s role. Medicines are prescribed by the doctor and dispensed by the pharmacist but responsibility for correct administration rests with the registered nurse (O'Shea 1999). So as a student nurse this has become my duty and something that I need to practice and become competent in carrying it out. Each registered nurse is accountable for his/her practice. This practice includes preparing, checking and administering medications, updating knowledge of medications, monitoring the effectiveness of treatment, reporting adverse drug reactions and teaching patients about the drugs that they receive (NMC 2008). Accountability also goes for students, if at any point I felt I was not competent enough to dispensing a certain drug it would be my responsibility in speaking up and let the registered nurses know, so that I could shadow them and have the opportunity to learn help me in future practice and administration.

    Read More

  • Chronic Bronchitis Essay

    783 Words  | 2 Pages

    Davenport, Joan M., Stacy Estridge, and Dolores M. Zygmont. Medical-surgical nursing. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008, 66-88.

    Read More

  • Nursing Care Plan

    10498 Words  | 21 Pages

    Fischbach, Frances, A Manual of Laboratory & Diagnostic Tests, 4th ed., J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia

    Read More

  • Preoperative Nursing Essay

    818 Words  | 2 Pages

    The role of the nurse in the preoperative area is to determine the patient’s psychological status to help with the use of coping during the surgery process. Determine physiologic factors directly or indirectly related to the surgical procedure that may cause operative risk factors. Establish baseline data for comparison in the intraoperative and postoperative period. Participate in the identification and documentation of the surgical site and or side of body on which the procedure is to be performed. Identify prescription drugs, over the counter, and herbal supplements that are taken by the patient that may interact and affect the surgical outcome. Document the results of all preoperative laboratory and diagnostic tests in the patient’s record

    Read More

  • Reflective Journal - A Nurse's Duty in the Surgical Ward

    1036 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although students were not allowed in the recovery unit, I was able to talk to one of the recovery nurses. I learned that a nurse’s duty of care includes monitoring the patient’s vital signs and level of consciousness, and maintaining airway patency. Assessing pain and the effectiveness of pain management is also necessary. Once patients are transferred to the surgical ward, the goal is to assist in the recovery process, as well as providing referral details and education on care required when the patient returns home (Hamlin, 2010).

    Read More

  • Is Nursing An Art Or A Science

    1504 Words  | 4 Pages

    Firstly, nurses are expected to practice evidence-based health care hence a mastery of information about the essential and safe dose of drugs for a patient is very important for a nurse. Consequently, it could be the determinant between the life and the death of the patient. Pharmacology is a discipline which is mandatory for the nurse to excel in to be efficient in discharging his/her duties. Understanding which drug to use, the right dosage, the expected side effects which may occur and the contra-indications of the various drugs are key in the preservation of

    Read More

More about Left-Sided Heart Failure

Open Document