Cardiac Disorders: Heart Failure, Part One (DVD) (Advanced Nursing Skills)

In Part One, we first discuss the definition and demographics of heart failure including the common terms used to describe it. Next, is an overview of the many causes of heart failure. The pathophysiology of a heart failure is then examined, using the Frank-Starling curve as a basis for understanding the relationship between stretched muscle length and strength of contraction. This is followed by a clinical scenario of a patient presenting for triage and describing a history and symptoms typical of heart failure. Part One ends with an explanation of the cardiac, sympathetic, and neurohormonal compensatory mechanisms.