Question

76-year-old female patient complains of weight gain, shortness of breath, peripheral edema, and abdominal swelling. She has a history of congestive heart failure and admits to not taking her diuretic, as it makes her “have to get up every couple hours to go to the bathroom.” She now has to sleep on two pillows in order to get enough air.

What is the cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary pathophysiology processes that result in the patient presenting these symptoms

Answer 1

The 76-year-old female patient has a history of congestive heart failure. she was prescribed with diuretics and she is not taking it.

Heart failure is a condition where the heart is not capable to pump enough blood due to weakening heart muscles.

When the heart is not pumping effectively there then fluid buildup starts in the lungs due to increased pressure in pulmonary veins, it gradually causes pulmonary edema. This is the reason for the shortness of breath in the patient.

Cardiac output is decreased in heart failure, it tends to cause poor venous drainage in the body. Due to poor venous drainage, there is fluid build-up in the body especially in lower extremities and in the peritoneal cavity. This is the reason for peripheral edema and abdominal swelling in the patient's body.

Due to extra fluid in the body patients weight increases.

Diuretics can effectively treat these symptoms by removing extra fluids from the body, which also reduces the preload of heart which again helps in heart failure.