Answer: <p>Heart failure, sometimes known as congestive heart failure (CHF), occurs when your heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should. Conditions such as narrowed arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease) or high blood pressure gradually leave your heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump efficiently.</p>

Answer: <p>Heart failure, sometimes known as congestive heart failure (CHF), occurs when your heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should. Conditions such as narrowed arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease) or high blood pressure gradually leave your heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump efficiently.</p>
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<p>Not all conditions that lead to heart failure can be reversed, but treatments can improve the signs and symptoms of heart failure and help you live longer. Lifestyle changes, such as exercising, reducing salt in your diet, managing stress and especially losing weight, can improve your quality of life.</p>
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<p>The best way to prevent heart failure is to control conditions that cause heart failures, such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity.</p>
<figure class="inline-left" style="width: 300px;"></figure>
<p><strong>Causes</strong></p>
<p>_ condition that increases preload : hypervolemia, VSD</p>
<p>_ conditions that increase afterload : hypertension, aortic or pulmonary stenosis</p>
<p>_ abnormal muscles function: myocardial infarction, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy.</p>
<p>_ Physical and emotional stress</p>
<p>_ infection</p>
<p>_ anemia</p>
<p>_ Thyroid disorder</p>
<p>_ chronic pulmonary disease</p>
<p>_ conditions that increase demand for oxygen delivery</p>
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<p><strong>Symptoms</strong></p>
<p>- Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you exert yourself or when you lie down</p>
<p>- Fatigue and weakness</p>
<p>- Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles, and feet</p>
<p>- Rapid or irregular heartbeat</p>
<p>- Reduced ability to exercise</p>
<p>- A persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm</p>
<p>- Increased need to urinate at night</p>
<p>- Swelling of your abdomen (ascites)</p>
<p>- Sudden weight gains from fluid retention</p>
<p>- Lack of appetite and nausea</p>
<p>- Difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness</p>
<p>- Sudden, severe shortness of breath and coughing up pink, foamy mucus</p>
<p>- Elevated blood pressure</p>
<p>- Chest pain, if your heart failure is caused by a heart attack</p>
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<p><strong>Diagnosis</strong></p>
<p>_ History taking and physical examination</p>
<p>_ Laboratory test :</p>
<p>1.liver function test</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>BUN and creatinine</li>
<li>Chest x-ray</li>
<li>Echocardiogram</li>
<li>Cardiac catheterization</li>
</ol>
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<p><strong>Management</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Diuretics</li>
</ol>
<p>If there are symptoms or finding of volume overload, the patient should be immediately started diuretics.</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>ACE inhibitors</li>
</ol>
<p>It should be prescribed to all patients with heart failure who do not have contraindications, due to evidence that these medications reduce mortality and improve functional status.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Nursing management</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Monitor vital signs, assess heart rhythm and rate.</li>
<li>Inspect and palpate precordium for lateral displacement of PMI.</li>
<li>Obtain hemodynamic measurement as indicated and note change from baseline.</li>
<li>Assess weight and ask about baseline weight.</li>
<li>Note results of serum electrolyte levels and laboratory tests.</li>
<li>Identify sleep patterns and sleep aids commonly used by patients.</li>
<li>Excessive fluid intake should be discouraged, but the fluid restriction is rarely indicated.</li>
<li>Moderate exercise such as walking or light exercise should be encouraged.</li>
<li>Dietary sodium should be restricted to 2 grams per day</li>
</ol>