CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

DEFINITION

 Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as

a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs.

CAUSES
The most common causes of congestive heart failure are:
 Coronary artery disease
 High blood pressure (hypertension)
 Longstanding alcohol abuse
 Disorders of the disorders of the heart valves
 Unknown (idiopathic) causes, such as after recovery from myocarditis

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of congestive heart failure vary, but can include:

 Fatigue,
 Diminished exercise capacity,
 Shortness of breath, and
 Swelling (edema).

TREATMENT

Specific treatment depends upon the underlying cause of heart failure. Treatment
may try to decrease fluid within the body so that the heart does not have to work as
hard to circulate blood through the blood vessels in the body.
 DIALOGUE
Doctor: Good morning. Take a seat please. So, who is the patient?
Family: Doctor, it is my mom
Doctor: What is your name?
Patient: My name is Camila
Doctor: What seems to be the trouble?
Family: Lately, my mom have trouble breathing and she seems more tired than
ever
Patient: When I lie down I can't breathe
Doctor: How old are you Camila?
Patient: I am seventy years old
Doctor: What other signs do you have?
Family: I have noticed that my mother has swollen feet for a month ago
Patient: also I have high pressure
Doctor: Please, Camila get up and sit on the stretcher. I am going to examine
you…… Lie on the stretcher please
Patient: Doctor hurts me where you are touching and the pain radiates to here
(pointing)

Already performed physical examinations (auscultation and palpation) the

doctor asks the patient to sit

Doctor: please, Camila get up

Family: What have you noticed in my mother doctor?
Doctor: she has tachycardia, ascites and pain in the right hypochondrium
Family: What does ascites and tachycardia mean?
Doctor: Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen due to many causes
and tachycardia is the increase of the heart rate
Patient: Doctor, will you send me to do other test?
Family: of course, a test to see the functioning of my mom´s heart.
Doctor: I'm going to give you orders to get an EKG and chest X-ray. And come
when you have the results
Two weeks later at the patient's house...

Family: Mom I have your results and the person who made me said they were not
good
Patient: Daughter, tomorrow you have to get a medical consultation with the doctor
Family: Yes mom. But, what happened to your neck?
Patient: I don't know daughter, I woke up and I felt my neck swollen

The next day in the hospital office

Family: Good Morning doctor, here I bring you the results of my mother's studies
Patient: Good Morning doctor
Doctor: Good morning, show me the results please
Patient: Doctor my neck is swollen.
Doctor: Let me see your neck lady (gets up and goes to examine the neck of the
patient)
Familiar: Doctor What does my mother have?
Doctor: Well Camila, I have reviewed the results and the signs and symptoms that
you present more the appearance of jugular regurgitation, my diagnosis is
congestive heart failure
Family: What can I do help my mother?
Doctor: Im going prescription you some medicine, but you must change tour
lifestyle
Patient: Thanks Doctor, I Hope to improve soon
Family: Thanks doctor