HEART FAILURE EXAM SCRIPT
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
●● What occurs in left-sided heart failure (LSHF)?
Answer: The left ventricle is unable to pump blood into systemic
circulation, causing a backup into the pulmonary system.
●● What happens in right-sided heart failure (RSHF)?
Answer: The right ventricle is unable to pump blood into the pulmonary
circulation, causing a backup into the venous circulation.
●● What is bi-ventricular heart failure?
Answer: A condition diagnosed based on clinical manifestations
affecting both the left and right ventricles.
●● What can untreated left-sided heart failure lead to?
Answer: It can lead to right-sided heart failure due to buildup in the
pulmonary system.
●● What is the clinical syndrome of heart failure characterized by?
Answer: Insufficient blood supply/oxygen to tissues and organs.
●● What are the two types of dysfunction involved in heart failure?
, Answer: Diastolic dysfunction (ventricular filling) and systolic
dysfunction (ventricular ejection).
●● What are primary causes of heart failure?
Answer: Hypertension (HTN), coronary artery disease (CAD),
myocardial infarction (MI), hyperthyroidism, cardiomyopathy, and
valvular disorders.
●● What are precipitating causes of heart failure?
Answer: Conditions that increase the workload of the ventricles, such as
anemia, infection, hypothyroidism, pulmonary embolism, and sleep
apnea.
●● What are modifiable risk factors for heart failure?
Answer: Smoking, obesity, and sodium intake.
●● What role do co-morbidities play in heart failure?
Answer: Co-morbidities like diabetes mellitus (DM), endocrine
disorders, age, and smoking contribute to the risk of heart failure.
●● What are the consequences of left or right ventricular failure?
Answer: Low blood pressure, low cardiac output (CO), and poor renal
perfusion.
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
●● What occurs in left-sided heart failure (LSHF)?
Answer: The left ventricle is unable to pump blood into systemic
circulation, causing a backup into the pulmonary system.
●● What happens in right-sided heart failure (RSHF)?
Answer: The right ventricle is unable to pump blood into the pulmonary
circulation, causing a backup into the venous circulation.
●● What is bi-ventricular heart failure?
Answer: A condition diagnosed based on clinical manifestations
affecting both the left and right ventricles.
●● What can untreated left-sided heart failure lead to?
Answer: It can lead to right-sided heart failure due to buildup in the
pulmonary system.
●● What is the clinical syndrome of heart failure characterized by?
Answer: Insufficient blood supply/oxygen to tissues and organs.
●● What are the two types of dysfunction involved in heart failure?
, Answer: Diastolic dysfunction (ventricular filling) and systolic
dysfunction (ventricular ejection).
●● What are primary causes of heart failure?
Answer: Hypertension (HTN), coronary artery disease (CAD),
myocardial infarction (MI), hyperthyroidism, cardiomyopathy, and
valvular disorders.
●● What are precipitating causes of heart failure?
Answer: Conditions that increase the workload of the ventricles, such as
anemia, infection, hypothyroidism, pulmonary embolism, and sleep
apnea.
●● What are modifiable risk factors for heart failure?
Answer: Smoking, obesity, and sodium intake.
●● What role do co-morbidities play in heart failure?
Answer: Co-morbidities like diabetes mellitus (DM), endocrine
disorders, age, and smoking contribute to the risk of heart failure.
●● What are the consequences of left or right ventricular failure?
Answer: Low blood pressure, low cardiac output (CO), and poor renal
perfusion.
