Journal - Critical care nurse (UNITED STATES )

Journal - Progress in cardiovascular nursing (UNITED STATES )

Abstract :

Systolic heart failure leads to progressive left ventricular impairment, has a poor prognosis and negatively affects the patient's quality of life, especially when the disease advances to the point where it causes refractory symptoms. Ventricular remodeling, one of the consequences of advanced systolic heart failure, results from complex pathophysiologic mechanisms and leads to hemodynamic compromise, clinical deterioration and death. The nursing literature on heart failure has focused on neuroendocrine changes and the pharmacologic management in response to these changes. Little emphasis has been placed on other pathophysiologic mechanisms that lead to a worsening of ventricular function or on advances in clinical research that may influence current and future nursing management of the patient throughout the continuum of care. For therapy to be individualized, it is necessary for nurses to understand the pathophysiology of systolic heart failure and the importance that nursing actions have on augmenting medical management to alleviate symptoms and to deter the progression of the pathophysiologic state. Such an understanding should ultimately reduce morbidity and mortality and optimize quality of life.