Congestive Cardiac Failure: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Nursing Care Strategies

Congestive cardiac failure
Congestive cardiac failure is such a chronic progressive condition where the heart
functioning as the pump is not adequate for meeting the needs of the body. In other words,
affects the pumping power of the heart muscles(Aoyama, 2011). Congestive cardiac failure
originates when the ventricles are not able to pump the sufficient blood to the different part of
the body . In the case of the Mrs. Sharon McKenzie cause of the congestive cardiac failure is
as a result of hypertension which in the case of Mrs. Sharon McKenzie is to be high risk
hypertension. Along with this, the narrowing of the coronary arteries can also be the cause of
the heart disease (Aoyama, 2011). The incidence of the disease among Mrs. Sharon
McKenzie is believed to be higher due to swelling in her ankles and feet and shortness of the
breath are the few symptoms related to the disease. Having the history of the Myocardial
infarction (MI) for 12 years which occurs due to damage to the heart muscle is also one of the
incidences of the cardiac failure(Aoyama, 2011). Mrs. Sharon McKenzie is77 year old and
hence is the common risk factor among the patients of the elderly age.
The risk factors which are more vulnerable among the case of the 77 year old woman is the
decline in the renal function as a result of the age and with this, there is a decrease in the
volume distribution of the digoxin . Among this, there is also an enlargement in the number
of comorbid circumstances, together with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
cardiovascular, which heighten susceptibility to cardiac failure disease (Odawara, 2011). In
the case, Mrs. Sharon likely to drop into such condition as a result of the medication digoxin,
and other digitalis is drug alongside with the advanced effectual drugs that interrelate within
such as flecainide, verapamil, amiodarone, quinidine, and others (Horvath & Bers, 2014).
Likewise, Mrs. McKenzie’s was as well taking medicine like furosemide, enalapril, and
warfarin (Horvath & Bers, 2014).

The daily intake of the 250 mcg of digoxin, is said to be the high dose among the adult
patients and mainly among the patients suffering from the congestive cardiac failure, as in the
case (Horvath & Bers, 2014). The body obtains the healing effect as soon as it stores around
8 to 12 mcg/kg with minimum danger of toxicity among patients having risk of the heart
failure and breathing rhythm or normal sinus (Horvath & Bers, 2014).
Congestive cardiac failure is a life threatening condition and severely impacts the patient and
their families (Odawara, 2011). The ill health of Mrs. Sharon McKenzie also suffers her
family members mentally disturbed. Certain times the patient suffering from the cardiac
failure lacks the social support, higher the support socially higher will the rate of healing
(Farmakis, Triposkiadis, Lekakis & Parissis, 2016).
Common signs and symptoms:
The individuals suffering from the cardiac failure will observe certain signs and
symptoms which are discussed in the table below with the pathophysiology
Signs and symptoms pathophysiology
Severe ventricular arrhythmias:
The patients complain dizziness, fluttering,
lightheadedness, pounding, quivering, chest
discomfort, breath shortness, and painful fast
heart beats are reported commonly among the
patients (Taytawat, 2013).
Arrhythmogenesis is most likely the general
procedure and marks from re-entry. It results
in the change in the state of mood and mind
too(Taytawat, 2013).
Triggered action happen as early after
depolarization and overdue after
depolarization begin spontaneous numerous
depolarization, impetuous ventricular

arrhythmias
Hypokalemia:
The symptoms of the low potassium results
tiredness, pain in arms, weakness, pain in the
muscles of legs and this at times is so severe
that causes the inability of moving the arms
and legs(Taytawat, 2013).
Tingling
Vomiting or Nausea
Bloating and Abdominal cramping
Constipation
Feeling the heart beat erratically
The rate of passing the urine is too high
concurrently feeling thirsty (Taytawat, 2013).
Low levels of the potassium results myositis
hyper excitable or hypo-polarized (Taytawat,
2013).
Hyperkalemia
The higher rate of the potassium in the blood
affects the functioning of the heart.
Hyperkalemia symptoms include
Slow heart rate
Abnormal heart rhythm
Weakness (Desai, 2012)
Hyperkalemia result due to rise in the level of
potassium in the body and secondary due to
an imbalance of intake vs. emission or as of
misdistribution between extra and intra
cellular space (Desai, 2012)