In most cases, heart failure is a process that occurs over time, when an underlying condition damages the heart or makes it work too hard, weakening the organ. Heart failure is characterized by shortness of breath (dyspnea) and abnormal fluid retention, which usually results in swelling (edema) in the feet and legs.
Common symptoms of congestive heart failure include:
- Shortness of breath with exertion or when lying down
- Cough
- Swelling in legs, feet and ankles (pooling of blood)
- Swelling of the abdomen
- Weight gain
- Loss of appetite, indigestion
- Irregular or rapid pulse
- Low blood pressure
- Weakness and fatigue
- Heart palpitations (feeling the heart beat)
- Difficulty sleeping
- Other symptoms may include:
- Decreased in alertness or ability to concentrate
- Decreased urine production
- Nighttime urination (the need to get out of bed to go to the bathroom)
- Nausea and vomiting
GENERAL SITUATION
Obtained good or composmentis awareness and change according to the level of perfusion disorders involving the central nervous system
Breathing
- Visible shortness
- Frequency of breathing exceeds the normal
- Inspection: the scar, complaints of physical weakness, edema of the extremities.
- Palpation: weak peripheral pulses, thrill
- Percussion: Shifting boundaries of heart
- Auscultation: decreased blood pressure, extra heart sounds
- Awareness is usually composmentis
- Peripheral cyanosis
- The face grimacing, crying, moaning, stretched and stretched.
- Oliguria
- Extremity edema
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Decrease in appetite
- Weight loss
- Weaknesses
- Fatigue
- Unable to sleep
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Schedule regular exercise could not
- The integrity of the ego: denial, fear of dying, anger, worry.
- Social interaction: stress due to family, work, difficulties of economic cost, difficulty coping.
