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

In Part Two, we first examine the problem of decompensation, which occurs when the compensatory mechanisms can no longer be sustained and the heart fails. The demonstration is followed by a triage physical examination of a patient presenting to an ED with early symptoms of heart failure. Next, there is a discussion of diagnostic techniques, including important laboratory studies and imaging modalities. The American Heart Association classification system for staging heart failure is then presented, finishing with a brief overview of current medical therapies for this condition.