The Failure Of Heart Failure

Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood through to meet the body 's needs for blood and oxygen. Basically, the heart can 't keep up with its workload. American Heart Association Statistics (2016) reveals that heart failure accounts for 36% of cardiovascular disease deaths. Projections report a 46% increase in the prevalence of Heart Failure (HF) by 2030 by affecting over 8 million people above 18 years with the disease. Healthy People 2020 goals are focused on attaining high quality longer lives free of preventable diseases, promotion of quality of life, healthy development and healthy behaviors across all stages of life (Healthy People 2020, 2015).

Situation: Two patients in their 70s present to the office at different times today, each with documented heart failure: one diastolic and the other systolic, and both are hypertensive. First, discuss the difference between systolic and diastolic heart failure, providing appropriate pathophysiology. ACEI/ARBs are the only medications prescribed for CHF that have been found to prolong life and improve the quality of that life. EXPLAIN the mechanism of action of ACEI/ARBs and how they affect morbidity and mortality in CHF. Be specific. Diuretics must be used very carefully in diastolic ventricular dysfunction. EXPLAIN this statement using appropriate physiology. Now considering all of the above, describe an appropriate comprehensive plan of

Heart Failure is a progressive heart disease when the muscle of the heart is weakened so that it cannot pump blood as it should; the blood backs up into the blood vessels around the lungs and the other parts of the body (NHS Choice, 2015). In heart failure, the heart is not able to maintain a normal range cardiac output to meet the metabolic needs of the body (Kemp and Conte, 2012). Heart failure is a major worldwide public health problem, it is the end stage of heart disease and it could lead to high mortality. At present, heart failure is usually associated with old age, given the dramatic increase in the population of older people (ACCF/AHA, 2013). In the USA, there are about 5.7 million adults who have heart failure, about half of the people die within 5 years of diagnosis, and it costs the nation an estimated $30.7 billion each year (ACCF/AHA, 2013).

Heart failure affects nearly 6 million Americans. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65. Roughly 550,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure each year (Emory Healthcare, 2014). Heart failure is a pathologic state where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the demand of the body’s metabolic needs or when the ventricle’s ability to fill is impaired. It is not a disease, but rather a complex clinical syndrome. The symptoms of heart failure come from pulmonary vascular congestion and inadequate perfusion of the systemic circulation. Individuals experience orthopnea,

The heart is an organ that pumps oxygenated blood to the body and deoxygenated blood to the lungs. Heart failure is when the heart can’t pump blood very well. If the heart fails to work properly, a major system called the circulatory system won’t work properly and therefore the whole human body will fail to work properly because the cells won’t be able get oxygenated blood and use the oxygen to undergo cellular respiration and make energy.

Congestive heart failure is a chronic condition that is responsible for the highest number of hospitalizations among adults. Readmission rates after hospitalization also remain high, with 50% of patients being readmitted within 6 months of discharge. (Desai & Stevenson, 2012). The Affordable Care Act penalizes hospitals with readmissions within 30 days after discharge, making readmissions a focus of hospitals nationwide. Several factors including discharge planning, patient education, diet restrictions, and early follow up appointments can help to reduce readmissions, but continuous monitoring is necessary to catch early signs of decompensation. (Desai & Stevenson, 2012).

Approximately 2-3 million Americans, more than one percent of the population, are currently affected by this medical problem with numbers increasing frequently (Drug Store News, 1997). Congestive heart failure tends to be more common in the elderly, men, and also African Americans. Congestive heart failure has become the most common cause for current hospital admissions. Among causing prolonged hospital stays congestive heart failure has a very high mortality rate, which has declined since recent medical advancements.

Heart failure is a long-term (chronic) condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood through the body. When this happens, parts of the body do not get the blood and oxygen needed for them to function properly.

The solution proposed by this author includes, immediate identification of patients admitted with heart failure and early implementation of interventions to prevent readmissions. Interventions include, care coordination, home health care and remote monitoring as needed. Initially, the recommended process will be presented during a one to one meeting with the Senior Vice President of Health Partner Services with the assistance of a power point presentation, supplemental handouts including the LACE index tool (Appendix A), as well as the proposed policy and procedure (Appendix E). The Senior Vice President of Health Partner Services will serve as the corporate champion and key stakeholder responsible for network provider contracting. Additional

As congestive heart failure continually increases among people worldwide it is a medical condition that is beginning to become more of a concern even for people at younger ages. It is typically a disease addressed by late age and elderly patients but many cases of earlier age have been shown. Because congestive heart failure has evolved when it comes to treatment, patients experience a remarkable difference on quality of life even over the last ten years. Although signs and symptoms remain the same, it has become easier to diagnose with technology and greater knowledge over the last decade. Congestive heart failure has many different types of heart failure. Many risk factors play a role in congestive heart failure that are

Almost every one in the United States knows a person suffering from congestive heart failure. This disease has manifested its way into the lives of so many—the statistics are astounding. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, nearly 5 million people are affected and it is the main reason for hospital admission in older adults over the age of 65. This is a great cause for concern. In order to reduce the morbidity and control this epidemic, we must first understand the risks and causes of this condition. It is of the upmost importance to first understand the risks and causes of this condition. Education plays a key role in order to recognize the clinical manifestations and necessary actions to best treat

Heart failure is term that is used to describe the heart’s inability to work efficiently as a pump. In order to decipher if an individual is likely to have heart failure is through their health history. Common backgrounds associated are diabetes mellitus, kidney dysfunction, hypertension, chronic lung disease, angina, myocardial infarction, and ischemic heart disease (Kirk, 2011). It is accompanied by shortness of breath on exertion, decreased exercise tolerance, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, orthopnea, ankle swelling, sudden weight gain, lack of appetite or nausea and difficulty concentrating (Kirk, 2011). In worsening conditions it could progress to fluid buildup, rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest pains , and sudden

Heart failure occurs when the heart loses its ability to pump enough blood through the body. Usually, the loss in pumping action is a symptom of an underlying heart problem, such as coronary artery disease.

One of the most common treatments for heart failure is ACE inhibitors. ACE inhibitors have shown to slow down the course of heart failure and decrease cardiovascular mortality (1). Overall, they work by suppressing the activity of angiotensin II. ACE inhibitors prevent the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II by competitively inhibiting the activity of the angiotensin converting enzyme. Since angiotensin II is a vasoconstrictor, the lack of the protein allows blood vessels to remain dilated which decreases blood pressure. In addition, the lack of angiotensin II decreases aldosterone release which further lowers the blood pressure and puts less strain on the heart. Angiotensin II has been shown to be involved in the myocardial

In today’s age of modern medicine and technology, there have been many advances in the treatment of heart disease. These treatment options have the ability to prolong the life of patients suffering from severe cardiac diseases, and in many cases, allow these patients to live a stable lifestyle for many years. Often, the end-stage events of cardiac disease result in advanced heart failure, in which case the best course of action is a heart transplant [1]. Due to the shortage of available donors for heart transplants,