Question

Ms Keats is a 68 year old woman who was diagnosed with heart failure 6 years ago. Her signs and symptoms include reports of being tired and weak, a nagging dry cough, and a weight gain of 5 pounds over the past week. On assessment you find ankle swelling, enlarged jugular neck veins, weak pedal and radial pulses, and crackles and wheezes when listening to her lungs. Her currently prescribed drugs include lisinopril (Prinivil) 5 mg once a day, spironolatone (Aldactone) 12.5 mg/day, and furosemide (Lasix) 40 mg/day.

1. What type of heart failure does Ms. Keats' assessment indicate? Back this up with evidence.
2. What is the state of her heart condition, improving, stable or worsening? Back up your answer.
3. Explain the usage of each of Ms Keats drugs as to how they treat her condition.
4. How should Ms Keats condition be monitored?
5. What are some important teachings for Ms Keats?

Answer 1

1). weight gain, ankle swelling, enlarged jugular neck veins, weak pedal and radial pulses, and crackles and wheezes when listening to her lungs ---> Indicators of congestive heart failure

If the origin of heart failure is itself located in the right side of the heart, venous return of blood from the body organs to the heart is impaired, so, edema is the common symptom of right-sided heart failure. Ankle swelling, enlarged jugular neck veins are the symptoms of right-sided heart failure.