Question

For a congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient, select one application or a technology that could effectively increase patient engagement and patient outcomes for your future practice area or work focus. What elements of this application or technology are the most valuable to you? How could you improve this technology?

Answer 1

Ans. - A chronic condition in which the heart doesn't pump blood is called cingestive heart falier.

Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, swollen legs and rapid heartbeat.

• Congested lungs :- Fluid backup in the lungs can cause shortness of breath with exercise or difficulty breathing at rest or when lying flat in bed. Lung congestion can also cause a dry, hacking cough or wheezing.
• Fluid and water retention :- Less blood to your kidneys causes fluid and water retention, resulting in swollen ankles, legs, abdomen (called edema), and weight gain. Symptoms may cause an increased need to urinate during the night. Bloating in your stomach may cause a loss of appetite or nausea.
• Dizziness, fatigue, and weakness :- Less blood to your major organs and muscles makes you feel tired and weak. Less blood to the brain can cause dizziness or confusion.
• Rapid or irregular heartbeats :- The heart beats faster to pump enough blood to the body. This can cause a rapid or irregular heartbeats.
• Typeof heart failure -

• Systolic dysfunction (or systolic heart failure) occurs when the heart muscle doesn't contract with enough force, so there is less oxygen-rich blood that is pumped throughout the body.

• Diastolic dysfunction (or diastolic heart failure) occurs when the heart contracts normally, but the ventricles do not relax properly or are stiff, and less blood enters the heart during normal filling. A calculation done during an echocardiogram, called the ejection fraction (EF), is used to measure how well your heart pumps with each beat to help determine if systolic or diastolic dysfunction is present.  

  

Causes Heart Failure

Heart failure is caused by many conditions that damage the heart muscle, including:

• Coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD), a disease of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart, causes decreased blood flow to the heart muscle. If the arteries become blocked or severely narrowed, the heart becomes starved for oxygen and nutrients.
• Heart attack. A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes suddenly blocked, stopping the flow of blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack damages the heart muscle, resulting in a scarred area that does not function properly.
• Cardiomyopathy. Damage to the heart muscle from causes other than artery or blood flow problems, such as from infections or alcohol or drug abuse.
• Conditions that overwork the heart. Conditions including high blood pressure, valve disease, thyroid disease, kidney disease, diabetes, or heart defects present at birth can all cause heart failure. In addition, heart failure can occur when several diseases or conditions are present at once.

Symptoms of Heart Failure

You may not have any symptoms of heart failure, or the symptoms may be mild to severe. Symptoms can be constant or can come and go. The symptoms can include:

• Congested lungs. Fluid backup in the lungs can cause shortness of breath with exercise or difficulty breathing at rest or when lying flat in bed. Lung congestion can also cause a dry, hacking cough or wheezing.
• Fluid and water retention. Less blood to your kidneys causes fluid and water retention, resulting in swollen ankles, legs, abdomen (called edema), and weight gain. Symptoms may cause an increased need to urinate during the night. Bloating in your stomach may cause a loss of appetite or nausea.
• Dizziness, fatigue, and weakness. Less blood to your major organs and muscles makes you feel tired and weak. Less blood to the brain can cause dizziness or confusion.
• Rapid or irregular heartbeats. The heart beats faster to pump enough blood to the body. This can cause a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

the Types of Heart Failure :-

Systolic dysfunction (or systolic heart failure) occurs when the heart muscle doesn't contract with enough force, so there is less oxygen-rich blood that is pumped throughout the body.

Diastolic dysfunction (or diastolic heart failure) occurs when the heart contracts normally, but the ventricles do not relax properly or are stiff, and less blood enters the heart during normal filling.

A calculation done during an echocardiogram, called the ejection fraction (EF), is used to measure how well your heart pumps with each beat to help determine.

Diagnosis :-

• Blood tests :- Blood tests are used to evaluate kidney and thyroid function as well as to check cholesterol levels and the presence of anemia. Anemia is a blood condition that occurs when there is not enough hemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells that enables the blood to transport oxygen through the body) in a person's blood.
• B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) blood test :- BNP is a substance secreted from the heart in response to changes in blood pressure that occur when heart failure develops or worsens. BNP blood levels increase when heart failure symptoms worsen, and decrease when the heart failure condition is stable. The BNP level in a person with heart failure -- even someone whose condition is stable -- may be higher than in a person with normal heart function. BNP levels do not necessarily correlate with the severity of heart failure.
• Chest X-ray :- A chest X-ray shows the size of your heart and whether there is fluid build-up around the heart and lungs.
• Echocardiogram :- This test is an ultrasound which shows the heart's movement, structure, and function.
• Ejection fraction (EF) is used to measure how well your heart pumps with each beat to determine if systolic dysfunction or heart failure with preserved left ventricular function is present. Your doctor can discuss which condition is present in your heart.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) :- An EKG records the electrical impulses traveling through the heart.
• Cardiac catheterization :- This invasive procedure helps determine whether coronary artery disease is a cause of congestive heart failure.
• Stress Test :- Noninvasive stress tests provide information about the likelihood of coronary artery disease.

prevent further heart damage:

• Stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
• Reach and maintain your healthy weight.
• Control high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and diabetes.
• Exercise regularly.
• Do not drink alcohol.
• Have surgery or other procedures to treat your heart failure as recommended.

Improve this technology Several specific tests are used together to diagnose congestive heart failure EKG Test. This measures how fast your heart is beating and looks for an irregular heart rhythm. It also determines if the heart walls are thicker than normal and whether or not you've previously had a heart attack.