Left-Sided Heart Failure

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Diagnosis: Left-Sided Heart Failure
Left-sided heart failure is the most common type of heart failure, and it is a result of left-ventricular dysfunction. This disease poses a significant threat to patients because the primary function of the left side of the heart is to provide sufficient oxygenated blood to satisfy the metabolic demands of the body’s cells. Understanding the main function of this portion of the heart will help with the understanding of other complications associated with this diseased. Left-sided heart failure is usually the result of the loss of heart muscle function, specifically in the left ventricle secondary to coronary artery disease, prolonged hypertension, or myocardial infection (Lewis et al. 2014, 766). The pathophysiology of left-sided heart failure is primary a macroscopic disorder and will be described as such.
The loss of heart muscles leads to a decrease in cardiac output, increased preload and increased afterload. Cardiac output (CO) is equal to the stroke volume times the heart rate (CO = SV x HR). When the CO is decreased, the compensatory mechanisms in the body are activated to increase the stroke volume and heart rate, which consequently increases CO. The compensatory mechanism in the body increases the heart rate by releasing norepinephrine which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (Lewis et al. 2014, 768). The stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system causes vasoconstriction and increased heart rate. The compensatory mechanism in the body increases the stroke volume by activating the renin angiotensin aldosterone (RAA) System. This activation results in increased sodium and water retention which increases the stroke volume (Story 2012, 104).
The compensations will only maintain t...

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