Heart Failure, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Heart failure is a complex and very serious health concern that occurs when blood pumping is insufficient and is caused by weakening of the heart muscle for various reasons that impact its overall functionality (Mayo Clinic, 2015). In particular, the heart ventricles are weakened and are unable to pump blood effectively throughout the body; the condition may be characterized as congestive heart failure but may also be identified by shortness of breath or weakness (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Patients with heart failure must be properly diagnosed so that treatment will be properly managed for these patients and so that patients will respond to these treatments effectively.

Left Side: Causes

Left side heart failure is caused by a malfunction of the larger left ventricle, and when dysfunction occurs, this ventricle must work harder in order to pump blood effectively throughout the body (American Heart Association, 2015). Therefore, left side failure requires additional exertion and effort that may contribute to a variety of conditions and overall limitations on quality of life for these patients as the impact of this condition continues to expand in scope.

Manifestations

Left side heart failure is characterized in one of two ways: 1) systolic failure, under which the left ventricle is unable to contract at a normal level and pace and under which blood pumping is not forceful enough to cause adequate circulation; and 2) diastolic failure, under which the left ventricle is unable to relax at a normal level, particularly due to stiffness, and the heart is unable to fill back up with blood at the desired level during resting periods (American Heart Association, 2015).

Pharmacological Treatments

For patients with left side heart failure, it is important to establish an effective treatment plan that is based upon prior evidence and under which there has been prior success with patients who have received these treatments in the past. Common treatments for heart failure in general include the following: 1) hypertension medications to manage blood pressure; 2) surgery as required to open blocked arteries; 3) beta blockers that are used in patients as a means of preventing death; 4) diuretics in order to eliminate fluids that have built up in the tissues; 5) digitalis to increase heart beats and to also slow rhythms; and 6) digoxin as necessary to reduce the heart rate as warranted (The New York Times, 2015).

Right Side: Causes

The causes of right side heart failure are a failure of the left side to function normally, whereby an increased level of fluid pressure is transferred to the lungs and causes even greater damage to the right side of the heart, accompanied by the flow of blood back through the veins (The New York Times, 2015).

Manifestations

There are a number of manifestations of right side heart failure in patients, including an increased level of swelling in different areas, including the legs, abdomen, and ankles, among other areas, thereby creating a difficult set of conditions for patients that require further analysis and consideration during the diagnosis and treatment phases (The New York Times, 2015).

Pharmacological Treatments

For patients with right side heart failure, it is likely that some of the same treatments that are used for patients with left side heart failure will be used, particularly as patients begin to experience difficult health challenges that have a direct impact on their quality of life. Therefore, diet, exercise, surgery as necessary, and pharmacological therapies that directly address the heart failure condition may have a positive impact on these patients and their quality of life and overall mortality.

References

American Heart Association (2015). Types of heart failure. Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartFailure/AboutHeartFailure/Types-of-Heart-Failure_UCM_306323_Article.jsp#.VlKI9vmrTIU

Mayo Clinic (2015). Heart failure: causes. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-failure/basics/causes/con-20029801

The New York Times (2015). Left-sided heart failure. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/left-sided-heart-failure/overview.html#Treatment