What is Afterload
The systemic pressure the heart pushes blood against when in systole.
Define cardiac output (CO)?
The volume of blood the heart pumps into the circulatory system in 1 minute, determined by multiplying the heart rate by the stroke volume.
What is cardiac remodeling?
Structural changes in the heart that occur after cardiac injury and in HF, including changes in size, shape, and function of the heart.
What is cardiogenic shock?
A critical condition in which the heart fails to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, leading to inadequate tissue perfusion and possible organ failure.
What does chronotropic refer to?
Has the ability to increase or decrease a rate, particularly the heart rate.
Define contractility.
The capacity of a muscle to contract when stimulated.
What does dromotropic mean?
The ability to influence the speed of cardiac impulse conduction from the AV node through the rest of the heart.
Define ejection fraction (EF).
The amount of blood ejected from the ventricles with each heart contraction expressed in percentage. Expected EF is 55% to 70% of the blood ejected from the left ventricle.
Define fluid volume overload.
A medical condition in which there is an excessive accumulation of fluid in the body, particularly in the circulatory system and interstitial tissues.
What is glycogenolysis?
The process of breaking down glycogen to glucose for the maintenance of blood glucose levels.
What does hemodynamic refer to?
Evaluating blood flow movement, blood pressure, and the forces involved in circulation.
What is hypertrophy?
A state of enlargement of cells.
What does inotropic mean?
The ability to influence the strength of muscle contractions, particularly in the heart.
What is preload?
The stretch of cardiac muscle cells after ventricles have filled in diastole.
Define pulmonary edema.
A condition involving the accumulation of fluid in the alveoli within the lungs.
What is pulsus paradoxus?
An exaggerated drop in systolic blood pressure of more than 10 mm Hg during inspiration caused by intrathoracic pressure changes that affect cardiac output.
Define systemic vascular resistance.
The force of the blood vessels on the circulating blood.
What is tissue perfusion?
The process of delivering blood to the capillary bed in tissue, ensuring that oxygen, nutrients, and other essential substances are supplied to the cells, while carbon dioxide and metabolic waste products are removed.
What is torsades de pointes?
An unexpected heart rhythm characterized by rapid, irregular heartbeats originating in the ventricles, often leading to fainting, seizures, or sudden cardiac arrest if untreated.
*Can be an adverse effect of Sotalol
What clinical findings suggest that a client with HF is responding positively to treatment?
Positive responses include stable BP, reduced edema, improved oxygen saturation (>93% on room air), absence of crackles in the lungs, and no reports of dyspnea or orthopnea.
How does the use of vasopressors impact cardiac workload in clients with heart failure?
Vasopressors increase cardiac workload by raising blood pressure and heart rate, which can exacerbate myocardial ischemia and potentially lead to arrhythmias.
What is the primary mechanism by which vasodilators help reduce blood pressure?
Vasodilators relax and widen blood vessels (vasodilation), decreasing vascular resistance and improving blood flow, which in turn reduces blood pressure.
What are the hallmark signs of digoxin toxicity that nurses should monitor during therapy?
Signs of digoxin toxicity include arrhythmias (e.g., bradycardia), visual disturbances such as seeing halos or yellow-green tints, and gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and anorexia.
