1. Define all unknown terms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Cite the primary clinical problem (not the diagnosis).

Shortness of Breath (Dyspnea, Breathlessness)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Develop a differential diagnosis for this clinical problem on the basis of history. What is your diagnosis? Describe the data from the history which supports your diagnosis, keeping in mind the concepts of sensitivity, specificity, predictive value. Apply this strategy in ruling out other causes of the clinical problem. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. The diagnosis is congestive heart failure.   Speculate on the mechanism for the following historical information with the diagnosis of congestive heart failure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. In terms of the pathophysiology, explain the mechanism for the following physical findings: 

Overall specificity of physical examination is 90% with a sensitivity of 10-30%

There are many data points in the physical examination which support the diagnosis. Comment on the 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Correlate (explain) the laboratory data in terms of the diagnosis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. What additional investigations are useful?

EKG: None specific for CHF. Useful to diagnose Cardiac ischemia, MI, Dysrhythmias, Ventricular hypertrophy, Electrolyte abnormalities, Dig toxicity etc.

Echocardiography: Helps in identification of regional wall motion abnormalities, left ventricular function, cardiac tamponade, valvular heart disease.

Radionuclide Ventriculography: Ejection fraction, chamber size and regional wall motion abnormalities.

Swna-Ganz catheter: LV filling pressure, Cardiac output In seriously ill patient with pulmonary edema.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. What are compensatory attempts of the body to support failing heart: Which of these attempts are evident in Mr. Solomon?

Increased sympathetic nervous system output: 

Starling curve shifts: Heart attempts to compensate for low cardiac output either by dilatation (to increase end diastolic pressure) or hypertrophy  (increased oxygen demand). The Starling curve is shifted downward to right and has a flattened contour in the patient with decreased cardiac contractility. Compliance refers to pressure required to fill ventricle to a certain volume. In CHF the ventricles become stiff (Non-compliant) requiring a higher LVEDP to achieve diastolic filling adequate to maintain cardiac output.

Rennin angiotensin system: Decreased renal perfusion leads to salt and water retention. Elevation of LVEDP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Which of the following drugs given intravenously would you expect to result in a rapid improvement in Mr. Solomon’s clinical condition? Which drugs would be expected to increase urine output?

Inoptropic action resulting in increased cardiac output

Heart failure would also be aggravated by verapmil and esmolol. 

Since the vagal tone would be low, atropine would have little effect. 

To decrease pre-load

Measure to decrease after load

Nitroprusside is an arteriolar dilator as well as venodilator. This drug should improve cardiac output (reduced after load) as well as reducing venous pressure and capillary hydrostatic pressure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Explain normal Starling curve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Compared to normal, how do you think Mr. Solomon’s illness has altered his ventricular function curve (the relationship between LV end-diastolic and cardiac output)? Would his ventricular function curve be further altered by either digoxin, vasodilator therapy or diuretic therapy?

In CHF the ventricular function curve is shifted downward and to the right. Also the slope of the ascending portion of the curve is less steep. Both digoxin and vasodilator therapy would shift the function curve upward and to the left (but not back to normal).

 Diuretic therapy should not alter the curve, but should shift the operating point on the curve to the left. (towards decreased end-diastolic pressure).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12. What would be the most important concern in treating Mr. Solomon with a combination of digoxin and furosemide?

Furosemide (loop diuretic) causes increased excretion of both potassium and magnesium. Hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia will both increase the risk of digoxin-induced arrhythmias.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. How should Mr. Solomon’s daily dose of digoxin be adjusted depending on his serum creatinine levels?

Since digoxin is secreted by the renal tubules; a reduction in renal blood flow will decrease the clearance of digoxin and leads to higher serum levels. Therapeutic digoxin concentration range from 1-2ng/ml. Toxicity appears at 2.5ng/ml. Creatinine is also secreted by the renal tubules and a rise in serum creatinine above 3.0mg/dL indicates reduced renal blood flow and the dose of digoxin should be decreased (by 50%).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14. What would cause activation of the rennin-angiotensin system in Mr. Solomon and how would the administration of enalapril counteract those effects? Would enalapril lead to alterations in serum levels of any other peptide (in addition to Angiotensin II) that might have cardiovascular effects.

Reduced perfusion pressure at the end of the afferent arterioles in the renal glomerulus (intrarenal baroreceptor) would cause increased rennin release. In addition, elevated sympathetic tone would cause increased rennin release. The rise in rennin should cause a concomitant rise in angiotensin II and aldosterone. The increase in A II would cause more arteriolar vasoconstriction, venoconstriction and increased salt and water retention by the kidneys. Enalapril would attenuate some of these effects by blocking the enzyme the enzyme that converts A I and A II. Since ACE also degrades bradykinin, enalapril would cause increased bradykinin levels which may have beneficial vasodilating in CHF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15. After 6 months of treatment with digoxin, furosemide and enalapril, Mr. Solomon’s edema has resolved, but he continues to feel week and lethargic. Upon readmission to the hospital a catheter is placed into the right heart through a jugular vein and the following pressures are recorded: RA=6mmHg; PA-40/12mmHg; Wedge (mean)=12mmHg; cardiac output=3.5L/min. How should Mr. Solomon’s drug therapy be altered?

Since the chronically failing left ventricle usually requires high filling (wedge) pressures to achieve maximum stroke output, it would appear that Mr. Solomon has had too much diuresis. The use of a ACE inhibitor enhances the diuretic action of furosemide. Appropriate treatment might be to switch to less potent diuretic (thiazide) and to carefully adjust the dosages of both diuretic and enalapril to increase end-diastolic filling pressure and improve cardiac output without causing the recurrence of edema.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16. What are the common etiologies for congestive heart failure? What is the most likely etiology of heart failure in Mr. Solomon?

Mr. Solomon has Coronary artery disease. He has old Myocardial infarction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17. Let us summarize the therapeutic strategies to manage a patient in congestive heart failure?

Decrease metabolic need. Oxygen demand supply ratio: Bed rest, Oxygen, decrease catecholamine activity (Beta-blockers)

To reduce venous return (pre-load): Elevate head end of bed, Nitrates, Diuretics (Furosemide) (Old tricks: Alternating tourniquet, Phlebotomy)

Increase cardiac output: Inotropic agents:   dopamine, dobutamine, amrinone, milrinone, digoxin (chronic chf)  nitropress,

Reduce work load: Reduce after-load: , Peripheral vascular resistance. Arterial dilatation (Nitrates, nitropress) IABP

Underlying cause: Diastolic dysfunction (reduce blood pressure) Replacing stenotic valve.

Eliminate contributing factors: Anemia

Counter deleterious compensatory efforts:  Rennin agiotensin system. Salt and water restriction, ACE inhibitors (Captopril, Enalpril)

Analgesics and Anxiolytic: Morphine (Pulmonary edema) 

Cardiac Transplantation: Last resort to a completely failed Heart refractory to therapy.

Mechanical ventilation: In severe cases of pulmonary edema. To support ventilation. Provide rest to Myocardium. To control pulmonary edema.

Dialysis: Combined Renal and Heart failure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18 Let us understand few commonly used terms in relationship to Heart failure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19. Let us recall some of the concepts we learned in Function course and apply to our patient.