Download Electrocardiogram and the Diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM
DIAGNOSIS OF
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
AND THE
By Angela Thomas
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
CHF is an acute or chronic inability of the heart
to pump enough blood throughout the body to
meet the demands of homeostasis.
 CHF leads to a buildup of fluid in the lungs and
surrounding body tissues.
 CHF may be due to failure of the right or left
ventricle, or both.

PATIENT HISTORY/RISK FACTORS
Family history of heart disease
 High blood pressure
 Diabetes
 Tobacco use
 Coronary artery disease
 Overweight
 High cholesterol
 Weakened heart muscle
 Pacemaker
 Poor diet
 Lack of exercise
 Chemotherapy

PATIENT’S SYMPTOMS
Shortness of breath
 Edema
 Fatigue
 Lack of appetite
 Nausea
 Rapid heartbeat
 Persistent cough
 Wheezing
 Increased urination

DIAGNOSIS OF HIS DISORDER
History and physical examination.
 Electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG)
 Chest X-ray
 Blood tests
 Echocardiography
 The Ejection Fraction (EF)
 Cardiac catheterization
 Stress Test
 Nuclear stress test

AN EKG CAN HELP DIAGNOSIS
Coronary heart
disease
 Arrhythmia
 Heart failure
 Cardiomyopathy
 Heart valve disease
 Pericarditis

FOR MY GRANDFATHER, AN ECG HELPED THE
DOCTOR TO DETERMINE THAT HE HAS CHF.
My grandfather’s
heart does not pump
forcefully enough.
 His heart lacks blood
flow to the heart
muscle.
 Heart was beating
normally, but not
enough beats per
minute.
 His pacemaker was
functioning normally.

MEDICATION TREATMENTS


Diuretic medications
ACE inhibitors (angiotensin
converting enzyme inhibitors)

Beta blockers

Digoxin

Aldosterone blockers
TREATMENTS FOR
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
Exercise regularly
 Control diabetes
 Control high blood pressure
 Control cholesterol
 Monitor weight
 Diet
 Medication therapy
 Quit using tobacco
 Follow-up appointment
 Surgery if needed

HOW TO PREVENT CONGESTIVE HEART
FAILURE FROM WORSENING
Keep blood pressure low
 Monitor symptoms
 Maintain fluid balance
 Limit sodium intake
 Monitor weight and lose weight if
needed
 Take medications as prescribed
 Schedule regular doctor
appointments

HOW CAN HE IMPROVE HIS QUALITY OF
LIFE WITH CHF?
Eating a healthy diet
 Exercising regularly
 Not overdoing it
 Preventing respiratory infections
 Control his diabetes, high blood pressure, and
cholesterol
 Monitor his weight
 Take his medication
 Quit using tobacco

GRANDPA’S MEDICATIONS
Amiodarone 200 mg
 Carvedilol 6.25 mg
 Simvastatin 20 mg
 Xarelto 20 mg
 ProAir® HFA 90 mg
 Aspirin 81 mg
 Oxygen

PATIENT OUTCOME/PROGNOSIS



Congestive Heart failure is a major health
problem that comes with the aging of the
American citizen.
More effective medications have been developed
that improve the outlook of heart failure.
Medications are the cornerstone of therapy for
patients with congestive heart failure.
Pacemakers and implantable defibrillators have
improved and now offer the ability to control
rare, but life-threatening, disturbances of heart
rhythm in some people.
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/
PROGNOSIS AND LIFE EXPECTANCY
FOR THE ELDERLY PATIENT
The prognosis of congestive heart failure patients
has improved over the past few decades, but the
improvement has been less pronounced in the
elderly population.
 The prognosis of elderly patients with heart
failure is grave.
 The average life expectancy following diagnosis of
CHF is under six years. However, the course of
CHF is variable, and some patients live 10 or
more years with good medication response and
dietary and lifestyle management.

http://www.uptodate.com/
REFERENCES

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/congestiveheart-failure

http://www.medtronic.com/patients/heart-failure/

http://www.uptodate.com/

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guideheart-failure