Heart Failure

Amber Achman, Brittani Allen, & Nicholas GruberSaint Cloud State University Nursing Program

Learning Objectives

• Staff will recognize the difference between right and left sided heart failure, various treatment methods, and signs/symptoms patients should monitor.

• Staff will be able, through the information presented, to tailor their patient teaching regarding CHF to the environment the patient will be returning to such as home versus a nursing home.

• Staff will understand how to perform effective discharge teaching using the Teach-Back method.

What is Heart Failure?

• It describes the heart’s inability to pump blood throughout the body effectively– Decreased perfusion of oxygen and nutrients

Causes of HF

• HTN• Valvular disease • MI • Pulmonary HTN• CAD

Left and Right sided HF

• Possible for one side to fail by itself – Most HF begins with left and progresses to failure

of both ventricles• Left side- decreased EF (<50%)– Blood accumulates in pulmonary circulation

• Right side- R ventricle unable to completely empty– Increased volume and pressure in systemic veins

Symptoms of L Ventricular Failure

• Weakness • Fatigue• Dizziness• Confusion• Pulmonary congestion• Dyspnea on exertion

(DOE)

• Orthopnea• Paroxysmal nocturnal

dyspnea (PND)

• Oliguria• Renal Failure• Respiratory Signs &

Symptoms manifest

Symptoms of R Ventricular Failure

• Jugular distention• Enlarged liver and spleen• Anorexia and nausea• Dependent edema (legs

and sacrum)

• Distended abdomen• Swollen hands and

fingers• Polyuria at night• Weight gain• Increased BP

Assessment Findings in HF

• S₃ Gallop• Crackles and Wheezes– every breath and remain

after cough

• Weight gain– Most accurate monitorof fluid status

• Labs:– BNP increases in

response to decreased CO

– Renal – Cr. And BUN increase due to inadequate perfusion

– ABG’s out of range

Medications

• General Guidelines– NEVER skip a dose– NEVER take a medication without the Dr.’s

permission– NEVER change the dosage of a medication without the Dr.’s permission

ACE Inhibitors

• What They Do:– Vasodilators– Cause the

blood vessels to expand, lowering blood pressure and reducing the heart's workload

Diuretics; Thiazide, Loop, K+ Sparing

• What They Do:– Causes the

kidneys to remove more Na & H2O from the bloodstream

– Decreases the heart's workload, due to less fluid needing to be pumped throughout the body

Beta Blockers• What They Do:– Block specific receptors ("beta receptors") on the

heart cells– This reduces the effects of chemical messengers that

increase heart rate– Allows the heart to maintain a slower rate and

lowers blood pressure

Other Heart Failure Meds

• Vasodilators• Digitalis Preparations• Ca+ Channel Blockers• Angiotension II Receptor Blockers• Blood Thinners• Cholesterol Lowering Medications

Diet & Nutrition

• Why Low Sodium is a Good Thing– Sodium makes the body hold on to

extra fluid• The heart has to work harder to pump

the extra fluid• Increased weight• Increase in symptoms such as swelling and SOB• Increased BP

Tips for A Low Sodium Diet

• Remove salt shaker & use a salt substitute• Drain & rinse canned foods before eating them• Substitute fresh fruit & veggies instead of canned

or frozen• Avoid convenience foods• Look at labels for “low” or “reduced” sodium…

but aware of serving size • Know how much sodium is allowed in your diet &

what that means– 3 grams of salt = 1 teaspoon

Activity & Rest

• 30 minutes of activity 5 days a week– Talk to Dr. about how much activity is safe for

you– Vary activity to keep it interesting

• Rest is important– Allows heart to rest and pump easier– Make a time every day to rest such as after

lunch

What to Monitor• Weight– Same time every day– In the morning– Same type of clothes, NO shoes– SAME SCALE

• Fluid Intake (if recommended by Dr.)• Symptoms– Increased SOB– Increased fatigue– Persistent cough– Shoes fitting tight…increase in edema

Effective Discharge Teaching

• Use words your patient will understand• Caregivers and family members should be

present and participate• Use different methods to teach (reading

material, videos, demonstrations, role play)• Use the teach-back method– Asking the patient to “teach-back” the material that they were

just taught in order to ensure understanding of the material– Used by several health care facilities. Teach-back is shown to

reduce readmissions

Teach-Back Method1. Ask what the patient already knows about the illness. This is

usually done during the admission process.This will help identify the learning needs of the patient

based on their perception of the illness.2. Clarify the illness and what symptoms brought them in the hospital.

This specifies the issues that are clearly not understood by the patient. These are issues that need to be emphasized during the discharge teaching.

3. Teach the learning material in simple the patient can understand. Each patient has different learning needs.

Use the video, reading material, and hands-on demonstrations to re-enforce the teachings

4. Ask the patient to “teach-back” the main parts of what they just learned.

Example: Ask the patient to show you how many milligrams of Lasix they will need if it is 8am in the morning as compared to 8pm at night based on their prescription.

5. Re-teach the patient any material that seemed misunderstood or unclear.

A patient may state that it is ok if they can’t fit in their shoes and are slightly short of breath because they only gained 1.5lbs since yesterday. Re-teach them that it’s not all or nothing. There are several symptoms to be concerned about.

6. Again, ask the patient to teach you the new material. Repeat steps as needed.

7. Document the material taught and the patient response.

Teach-Back Method

Helpful Hints• Use the teach-back method during medication

administration to help patients learn about new meds.

• Do not ask the patient “Do you understand?” This puts too much pressure on the patient and they will often say they understand, but they do not.

• Assume that if the patient does not understand, you were not clear enough. Use another approach.

• Encourage questions.• I know time is an issue, but it is important not to

appear rushed, annoyed, or bored during these efforts—your affect must agree with your words.

For Further Information

• Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership– http://healthlit.themlc.org/

• Agency for Health Research & Improvement– http://www.ahrq.gov/

• Mosby’s Nurse Reference on CHI website

References

• http://www.ahrq.gov/ • http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identif

ier=118#ace_inhibitorsbook=cardio&part=A462 • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?• http://healthlit.themlc.org/ • Joanna Briggs Institute• Ignatavicius, D., & Worman, L. (2006). Medical-surgical

nursing: Critical thinking for collaborative care (5th ed.). SaintLouis, MO: Elsevier.