How a Homodynamic Assessment Can Prevent Congestive Heart Failure?
Dec 23, 2014 | 11:00 am
The heart is an unbelievable fist sized pump that is all muscle and moves several units of blood through the human body at an incredible, regular rate. When blood and systems are not in sync with natural homeostasis, a progression of regression may occur.
CHF: Definition
The term “heart failure” can be truly alarming. While it does not mean the heart has “failed,” it is a serious condition.
For patients over 60, congestive heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization and death of people in that age group. Many heart medicines are not effective with the symptoms of CHF and as a result, it is very difficult to treat. The best way to prevent CHF is to exercise regularly, lower salt intake, and manage blood pressure issues. Keeping a strong heart is the best prevention for congestive heart failure. After CHF has progressed to somewhat debilitative state, exercise is extremely dangerous and can do more harm than good. Patients who have kidney problems are also at high risk for CHF.
Two Types of Hemodynamic Assessment for CHF
Non-Invasive Assessment of Congestive Heart Failure
Pulmonary and peripheral edema is classic signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure. Diuretic treatment for this acute condition is appropriate. Tissue perfusion should be assessed, along with evaluation of homodynamic baselines. History and physical information is not always reliable for “right now“ treatment. These dynamics may change drastically from one episode to another and should be re-evaluated with every hospital admission. Pulmonary rales, venous distention, and other traditional methods of assessment are no longer reliable enough to perform accurate and prudent treatment. Medication may be prescribed for immediate relief and emergent situations. In lab testing, consideration of natriuretic peptides should be addressed because knowledge of these values increase the diagnostic accuracy of heart failure as well as defining congestion and low output.
Medications
Due to blood pressure elevation and danger of stroke, multi drug regimens may be used. Common intravenous medications may include diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and vasodilators. Vascular resistance and wedge pressures must be reduced. Patients must receive tailored therapy since all patients have individual needs depending on medications already prescribed and other particular health problems.
Once the diagnosis of congestive heart failure is well established upon visual and vital judgment and medications are prescribed then the physician must move forward with better applicable assessments, which now become “invasive.”
Invasive Hemodynamic Assessment of Congestive Heart Failure
Cardiac catheterization changed the history of cardiac issue assessment for all time. Ventricular systolic and diastolic properties are more easily quantified by clinical development between 1970 and 1990. This type of catheterization provides intrinsic information about such issues as pressures, resistances, output, and ejection fraction. When the heart can be monitored to see exactly where the weak areas are, many times strict orders from the doctor, along with proper medication and nutrition plans may actually be able to save lives. Compliant lifestyle changes may also cause the patient to live many years longer than, if existent problems were never detected.