In the latest textbooks, the terminology has changed. It used to be called Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), but the new term is just Heart Failure (HF). In this study guide we will use the term heart failure.
1) Review and redefine the terms preload, after load, cardiac output, stroke volume, and Starling’s law of the heart.
2) How do the baroreceptors in the carotid arch influence hormone secretion in heart failure?
3) Explain the role of these hormones in heart failure:
Adrenalin
Aldosterone
Antidiuretic Hormone
Rennin
Angiotensin
4) What is the physiology that causes the primary symptoms of dyspnea, edema, and fatigue in heart failure?
5) Why does paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND) occur primarily at night?
6) Contrast the etiology of left and right sided heart failure.
7) Differentiate Cor Pulmonale from right sided heart failure.
Comparison of heart, kidney, and liver failure symptoms
Symptom | heart | kidney | liver |
Ascitesedema | |||
hypertension | |||
breath | |||
Change sensorium | |||
hepatomegaly | |||
puritis | |||
anemia | |||
Diagnostic labs | |||
acidosis | |||
anorexia | |||
Diet | |||
hepatomegaly | |||
Treatments |

Nicole Whitworth is the founder of Your Nursing Tutor. She has a BSN and an MA in Clinical Psychology, and has been a professional nursing tutor for over 12+ years. Nicole specializes in getting nursing students through school confidently and calmly so that everything finally “clicks”. She is also the creator of the Silver Bullet Study System, an easy-to-follow study method that automatically trains your brain to become a nurse at the same time that you study for your normal nursing classes.