Left Sided Heart Failure

1218 Words5 Pages
Heart failure is the inability of the heart to produce adequate cardiac output (Huether & McCance, 2012). Nearly 2% of all Americans have some form of heart failure (McLaughlin, Hoy, & Glackin, 2015). Heart failure can occur as left-sided heart failure, right-sided heart failure, high-output heart failure, or a combination thereof (Ignatavicius &Workman, 2016). While there is no cure for heart failure, treatments are centered on controlling the decline of the cardiac muscle and maintenance of the symptoms (Huether & McCance, 2012). This paper focuses on left-sided heart failure, or congestive heart failure, and the implications of living with the disease. Pathophysiology Disease Process Left-sided heart failure. Left-sided heart failure…show more content…
Patient Education To Patient and Spouse I know that heart failure sounds scary, but there are ways to manage this disease. Our highest priorities are to control the progression of the disease and to manage the symptoms. To Spouse/Caregiver If you notice that your spouse stops breathing in the middle of the night, do not be afraid to alert the doctor. We can give your spouse something called a CPAP that will help your spouse breathe continually throughout the night. Personal Reflection After studying this disease and all of its effects throughout the body, I have come to the conclusion that I would be terrified to be diagnosed with CHF. It is one thing to be a nurse who is treating a patient with a chronic disease. It is a whole new ball game when you are living with CHF and know that it will probably kill you one day, whether directly or indirectly. CHF affects your entire life, down to how many times you urinate every day. I have a co-worker who was recently diagnosed with CHF, and it has caused her to cut back on her hours until she can get the disease under control. I could not handle the feeling of congested lungs for the rest of my life. I would feel like I was drowning, and it would drive me crazy. I would be anxious and frustrated with my body. I would be frustrated about carrying oxygen with me everywhere, and I would crave salt everyday just because I am on sodium restrictions. I would really hate have to go to the bathroom so frequently, and I would be nervous about going on long car trips or anywhere without easily accessible

More about Left Sided Heart Failure

Open Document