2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
1 Update on General Medicine
Chapter 5: Acquired Heart Disease
Congestive Heart Failure
Symptoms
Although heart failure may be asymptomatic in its earliest stages, a variety of symptoms may develop, depending on the severity of ventricular dysfunction. Symptoms may result from inadequate tissue perfusion caused by pump failure or from the failing heart’s inability to empty adequately, leading to edema and fluid accumulation in the lungs, extremities, and other sites. The most frequent symptoms of left ventricular failure are dyspnea with exertion or at rest, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, diaphoresis, generalized weakness, fatigue, anxiety, and lightheadedness. With more severe CHF, the patient may also experience a productive cough; copious pink, frothy sputum; and confusion. Angina may also occur if the CHF results from ischemia. Right-sided heart failure may occur separately from or secondary to chronic left-sided heart failure. Peripheral edema typically develops in patients with right-sided heart failure.
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 1 - Update on General Medicine. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.