36 hours ago Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart has to work harder than normal to get blood to the body resulting in symptoms. It actually is not a specific diagnosis but rather a collection of symptoms that can be the result of a variety of different heart problems. >> Go To The Portal
Palpitations:An increased heart rate or palpitations is a sign that your heart is working hard. It needs to work harder to make up for the loss in pumping capacity of the failing heart. Patients may complain of a racing heartbeat or throbbing in their chest.
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Those patients who lack the basic information about their CHF diagnosis, medications, and the resources and support to manage their condition are at the greatest risk for readmission and/or emergency department visits. Simply providing patients with brochures and information without knowing if their content is understood is very shortsighted.
In the initial conversation with patients, it is helpful if the case manager acknowledges that managing a chronic condition such as CHF is not easy for patients or their families, and for this reason, lapses in adherence to prescribed treatment plans and protocols can happen.
Cyanosis:Any blue color in the lips or fingernails. All patients with CHF should have an action plan to deal with worsening symptoms. The action plan should be developed with the help of your doctor and dis-cussed with your family, friends, or caregivers.
Specific and patient-centered instructions that address all of the following: activity level, diet, discharge medications, follow-up appointments, weight monitoring and what to do if symptoms increase. with CHF is indeed complex and challenging.
Signs of Worsening Heart FailureShortness of breath.Feeling dizzy or lightheaded.Weight gain of three or more pounds in one day.Weight gain of five pounds in one week.Unusual swelling in the legs, feet, hands, or abdomen.A persistent cough or chest congestion (the cough may be dry or hacking)More items...
Especially watch out for these problems:Chest Discomfort. It's the most common sign of heart danger. ... Nausea, Indigestion, Heartburn, or Stomach Pain. ... Pain that Spreads to the Arm. ... You Feel Dizzy or Lightheaded. ... Throat or Jaw Pain. ... You Get Exhausted Easily. ... Snoring. ... Sweating.More items...•
Overworking your heart causes the heart muscle to thicken, like any muscle being worked strenuously. Over time, this can lead to atrial fibrillation, and to heart failure.
Clinical Presentation The first and the most common presentation is with volume overload that manifests as pulmonary or systemic congestion.
There are many possible symptoms of heart failure. The most common are:Shortness of breath.Feeling tired (fatigue).Less able to exercise.Weak legs.Waking up to urinate.Swollen feet, ankles, lower legs and abdomen (edema).
Signs of a Weakened Heart MuscleShortness of breath (also known as dyspnea), particularly when you lie down or exert yourself.Chest pain, especially a heavy sensation in your chest indicative of heart failure caused by a heart attack.Fatigue.Swelling of the legs, ankles, and feet (also known as edema)More items...•
Another study published in 2015 in The Lancet, involving more than 600,000 employees, found that those who worked more than 55 hours per week had a 13% greater risk of heart attack and were 33% more likely to experience a stroke than those who worked 35 to 40 hours on a weekly basis.
Here are seven common symptoms of overwork:Sleep disorders like insomnia or overall poor sleep patterns.Feeling distracted with every task.A weakened immune system.Lack of energy for simple tasks.A disregard for the importance of sleep.Mood swings with negative self-talk.Difficulties balancing a social and work-life.
This analysis revealed that people who work a lot (more than 55 hours per week) are about 13% more likely to have a heart attack than those who work 35–40 hours a week, while the risk of stroke was increased by 33%.
The common symptoms of congestive heart failure include fatigue, dyspnoea, swollen ankles, and exercise intolerance, or symptoms that relate to the underlying cause. The accuracy of diagnosis by presenting clinical features alone, however, is often inadequate, particularly in women and elderly or obese patients.
Assessment of CHF:Vital Signs. Baseline vital signs are important here as well as for our other assessments, including an apical pulse; history is also important.Cardiovascular. Assess heart rhythm, and strength of the heartbeat. ... Respiratory. Assess lung sounds for congestion, rales.General Medical.
Heart Failure Signs and SymptomsSign or SymptomPeople with Heart Failure May Experience...Confusion, impaired thinking...memory loss and feelings of disorientation. A caregiver or relative may notice this first.Increased heart rate...heart palpitations, which feel like your heart is racing or throbbing.5 more rows•May 31, 2017
Because early treatment of worsening CHF is most effective in preventing hospitalizations, it is very important for the patient to recognize when his symptoms are getting worse. The early symptoms or warning signs of a CHF exacerbation can be different for each person. The patient is the best person to know if he or she is having difficulty ...
The fatigue happens because your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of your body tis-sues.
Other signs of poor circulation to the brain include prolonged headaches, forgetfulness, confusion, slurring of speech, and excessive sleepiness. A spouse or other caregiver may notice this before the patient does.
Your body then diverts blood away from less vital organs, particularly muscles in the limbs, and sends it to the heart and brain. If this remains un-treated, you may gradually lose muscle mass as the tissues become oxygen depleted.
It can come on gradually during the day or may come on suddenly and wake you from sleep. Patients with worsening CHF often have difficulty breathing while lying flat and may need to prop up the upper body and head on two pillows.They often complain of waking up tired or feeling anxious and restless.
Exacerbations of CHF occur when there is an in-creased demand placed on the heart that the weakened heart cannot compensate for by beating harder or faster. These increased demands may be the result of cardiac or noncardiac changes. These exacerbations often are life threatening and can lead to hospitalization.
A CHF exacerbation is a medical emergency and re-quires the immediate attention of a doctor. Exacerbations of CHF occur when there is an in-creased demand placed on the heart that the weakened heart cannot ...
In fact, many in this group stopped taking their medications altogether. Some other causes of CHF exacerbation are: Excessive alcohol intake. Lung infections.
For example, about 22 percent of patients did not restrict their intake of salt. Salt promotes the retention of water in the bloodstream, which can place an added strain on an already weakened heart. Eventually, excess water can back up into the lungs.
Anorexia. When CHF patients have other conditions (e.g., diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, etc.), case managers also need to incorporate evidence-based guidelines for those conditions as part of the care plan.
CHF occurs when the heart is unable to pump well enough to provide oxygen to all of the body’s organs. It can lead to a multi-system failure and death. The most common cause of this condition is a blockage in an artery or multiple arteries that can lead to a heart attack or significant damage to the heart muscle.
They reflect a concerted effort to work closely with patients and their caregivers while maintaining liaison with their primary care physician and other providers of behavioral and social services. Additionally, these CCM models are customized to a patient’s location (i.e., rural areas with fewer community resources vs. highly populated metro areas with many large practices and extensive resources). CCM models rely on different operational controls ranging from payer-operated and practice-operated to delivery-system operated and independent regional care management organizations. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, of which case managers should become familiar. For example, while CCM models that rely on a payer-operated approach offer greater flexibility and access to financial resources, they are also prone to greater challenges engaging both patients and providers. CCM models using a practice-operated approach offer greater opportunity for primary care integration, but also often pull case managers away from their care management tasks to cover day-to-day clinic duties.
Other problems that case managers need to be aware of are those relating to behavioral issues, lack of community resources and support, and the failure to assess and address social determinants of health. If case managers are mindful of the essential activities and core components as defined by our standards of practice, they should be able to identify and then resolve those trouble spots.
It is vital for case managers to closely, carefully and consistently monitor multiple factors on behalf of their patients to allow for timely adjustments in their care plans as needed. Doing so will prevent a deterioration of their condition, which can happen in days, in the absence of this ongoing monitoring.
Heart failure disease management is a primary aspect of the case manager’s role. This encompasses elements of lifestyle changes, awareness of symptoms and what they mean, and the importance of strict adherence to one’s treatment plan. This is, however, a major oversimplification of the case manager’s role when caring for CHF patients.
This is because the length of stays often are just a few days and many things must be done to create an effective plan and share information with the patient and family as soon as possible.
Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition. It occurs when the heart is unable to pump effectively and produce enough cardiac output to successfully perfuse the rest of the body’s tissues and organs. An individual can have right-sided or left-sided heart failure as well as systolic or diastolic heart failure.
A 74-year old Hispanic male presents to the Emergency Department with complaints of increased dyspnea, reduced activity tolerance, ankle swelling, and weight gain in recent days. He has a known history of hypertension and heart failure. He reports over the past 3 days his shortness of breath, particularly with activity, has increased significantly.
The main assessment findings the nurse should be aware of for this patient begin with his vital signs, all of which are listed are abnormal.
It is vital to monitor patients admitted with congestive heart failure closely. In particular, detailed and accurate intake and output records should be kept to show the progress and success of treatments being administered.
Congestive heart failure is a chronic condition that can progress over time. Acute exacerbations of this chronic condition can also be very common especially if an individual is not following or is unaware of the appropriate guidelines and recommendations.