Define “Heart failure” (HF).
a complex of signs and symptoms caused by structural or functional impairment of ventricular filling and/or ejection of blood
Define “congestive heart failure” (CHF).
a clinical syndrome in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the metabolic needs of the body
Define “Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction” (HFrEF, systolic HF).
CHF with reduced stroke volume, reduced ejection fraction (EF) (left ventricular EF ≤ 35–40%)
The ejection fraction is the percentage of blood being pumped by the left ventricle during each contraction (stroke volume divided by end-diastolic volume; normally ∼ 55%).
Define “Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction” (HFpEF, diastolic HF).
CHF with reduced stroke volume, normal/reduced EDV, and preserved EF (LVEF ≥ 40–50%)
The ejection fraction is not reduced because both the left ventricular end-diastolic volume and the stroke volume are reduced. Note that patients with LVEF of 41–49% are considered borderline HFpEF and have similar outcomes to HFpEF patients.
Define “Right heart failure” (RHF).
CHF due to right ventricular dysfunction resulting in congestion of blood in the vena cava and peripheral veins, which increases venous hydrostatic pressure and results in peripheral edema, increased jugular venous pressure, ascites, and hepatomegaly.
Define “Left heart failure (LHF)”.
CHF due to left ventricular dysfunction resulting in tissue hypoperfusion and increased pulmonary capillary pressure
Define “Biventricular (global) CHF".
CHF in which both the left and right ventricles are affected resulting in the development of both RHF and LHF symptoms
One-sided CHF commonly progresses to biventricular HF.
Define “chronic compensated CHF”.
a patient has signs of CHF on echocardiography but is asymptomatic or symptomatic and stable
Define “acute decompensated CHF”.
sudden deterioration of CHF or new onset of severe CHF due to an acute cardiac condition (e.g., myocardial infarction)
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