Question

Explain how the compensatory mechanisms for heart failure work to maintain cardiac function. What occurs if these mechanisms begin to fail?

Answer 1

Answer - Heart failure conditions cardiac output become low and renal blood supply also reduce, it stimulate kidney to release hormone renin. Renin convert into angiotensin - 1 in the presence of hormone angiotensinogen by liver.

Angiotensin - 1 change into angiotensin - 2 in the presence of ACE-inhibitors by lungs.

Angiotensin - 2 stimulate to adrenal cortex to release aldosterone hormone which cause retention of sodium and water and also cause vasoconstriction which cause Increase cardiac output, heart have sufficient blood to supply in body parts and conponsatory mechanism help to prevent further complications.

Componsatory heart failure mechanism if fall, it cause severe life threatening complications, cardiac output become more more low, severe hypotension and heart unable to pump sufficient blood and decrease oxygenated blood supply also. It cause cardiacgenic shock, difficulty in breathing( back up of blood into lungs), or swelling in whole body part (peripheral edema), organs damages mostly kidney and may be death of the patient.