Congestive Heart Failure Pathophysiology & Schematic Diagram

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Heart failure is a physiologic state in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the metabolic needs of the body. Heart failure results from changes in systolic or diastolic function of left ventricle.

The heart fails when, because of intrinsic disease or structural defects, it cannot handle a normal blood volume or, in the absence of disease, cannot tolerate a sudden expansion in blood volume.

Heart failure is not a disease itself; instead, the term refers to a clinical syndrome characterized by manifestations of volume overload, inadequate tissue perfusion, and poor exercise tolerance. Whatever the cause, pump failure results in hypo-perfusion of tissue, followed by pulmonary and systemic venous congestion. Because heart failure causes vascular congestion, it is often called congestive heart failure, although most cardiac specialist no longer use this term.

Nursing Care Plans

See the nursing care plans for heart failure.

Statistics

Heart failure affects about 5 million people in the United States alone, with 500,000 new cases diagnosed each year. In contrast to decreases in mortality associated with other cardiovascular disease, the incidence of heart failure and the mortality associated with it have increased steadily since 1975. Annually about 300,000 clients die from indirect and direct consequences of heart failure, and the number of deaths attributed to heart failure has increased six-fold over the past 40 years.

Incidences

Heart failure can affect both women and men, although the mortality is higher among women. There are also racial differences; at all ages death rates are higher in African American than in non-Hispanic whites. Heart failure is primarily a disease of older adults, affecting 6% to 10% of those older than 65. It is also the leading cause of hospitalization in older people.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Pathophysiology & Schematic Diagram

Congestive Heart Failure Pathophysiology