Long-Term Care

This week's tip: Heart failure

LTC Nursing Assistant Trainer, August 16, 2007

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Heart failure is the inability of the heart to pump blood sufficiently to the body parts to meet metabolic demands.Types of heart failure include the following:

  • Acute heart failure: sudden onset of the inability of the heart to contract; may cause life-threatening signs and symptoms, including pulmonary edema.
  • Chronic heart failure: compromise in the ability of the heart to pump efficiently; often occurs as a result of another chronic disorder. When a resident has chronic heart failure, he or she develops signs and symptoms of both right-sided and left-sided heart failure.
  • Congestive heart failure: an accumulation of blood and fluid in tissues and organs from impaired circulation.



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