Left Sided Heart Failure Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Left Sided Heart Failure?

Left Sided Heart Failure is a condition in which the left ventricle of the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently. This means that not enough oxygen-rich blood can reach other parts of the body and it can cause symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and an inability to exercise. Left sided heart failure may be caused by a variety of factors including coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, valve diseases, diabetes mellitus, and cardiomyopathy. When someone has left sided heart failure, their left ventricle cannot pump out enough oxygen-rich blood into the body’s circulation system. This causes a number of symptoms such as shortness of breath (dyspnea), fatigue or extreme tiredness (fatigue), chest pain (angina pectoris), palpitations or an irregular heartbeat that can be felt in the chest (palpitations), swelling in ankles or feet due to fluid buildup in tissues called edema (peripheral edema) and difficulty exercising or doing physical activities (exercise intolerance). There are several treatments for those with Left Sided Heart Failure including lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, eating healthy foods low in sodium and fat, exercising regularly, controlling weight gain and taking medications prescribed by doctor such as diuretics which help reduce fluid buildup around organs; ACE inhibitors which improve how well your kidneys function; Beta Blockers which helps lower your heart rate; Vasodilators which helps widen your arteries so more oxygen-rich blood can flow through them; Anticoagulants which help prevent harmful clots from forming; and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers also known as ARBs which helps relax vessels so more oxygen-rich blood flows through them. In addition to medical treatments for Left Sided Heart Failure there are also some alternative methods available like acupuncture which involves inserting needles into specific points on the body that stimulate certain nerves; yoga poses designed specifically to improve circulation; massage therapy that can reduce stress levels while aiding relaxation; breathing exercises designed to increase the amount of air taken into lungs during inhalation phase leading to better oxygenation throughout the body; essential oils used both internally via ingestion or externally via topical application for their therapeutic properties.