Heart failure can be categorized as left-sided or right-sided and can involve either side or both sides simultaneously (Huether & McCance, 2012). When a patient presents with a history of congestive heart failure but is uncertain which type they have, it is the responsibility of the nurse to make an assessment. “The ability to recognize early and progressive HF signs and symptoms is crucial for both patients and clinicians” (Vincent & Mutsch, 2015, p. 1). A nurse will look for specific symptoms to …show more content…
Left –sided heart failure is the more common type and can be of a systolic or diastolic nature. In systolic heart failure, the heart does not generate enough output which results in vital body tissues are not receiving adequately amounts of blood. Diastolic heart failure occurs when cardiac muscle does not completely relax which results in less blood entering the heart. In a physical examination, left-sided heart failure patients may be observed as fatigued, short of breath as well as having frothy sputum and low urine output. The shortness of breath may be exacerbated when lying flat and the patient may describe sleep disruptions associated with this. Pulmonary auscultation will reveal crackling sounds produced by fluid in the lungs (Huether & McCance,