Heart failure (HF) or Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Heart failure (HF) or Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a physiologic state in which he heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the metabolic needs of the body. Heart failure results from changes in systolic or diastolic function of the left ventricle. The heart fails when, because of intrinsic disease or structural it cannot handle a normal bloodvolume or, in absence of disease, cannot tolerate a sudden expansion in blood volume. Heart failure is not a disease itself, instead, the term refers to a clinical syndrome characterized by manifestations of volume overload, inadequate tissue perfusion, and poor exercise tolerance. Whatever the cause, pump failure results in hypoperfusion of tissues, followed by pulmonary and systemic venous congestion. Because heart failure causes vascular congestion, it is often called congestive heart failure, although most cardiac specialist no longer use this term. Other terms used to denote heart failure include chronic heart failure, cardiac decompensation, cardiac insufficiency and ventricular failure. Nursing Care Plans Nursing care for patients with heart failure includes support to improve heart pump function by various nursing interventions, prevention and identification of complications, and providing a teaching plan for lifestyle modifications. Here are 16+ nursing care plans (NCP) for patients with Heart Failure: Content 1. Decreased Cardiac Output 2. Activity Intolerance 3. Excess Fluid Volume 4. Risk for Impaired Gas Exchange 5. Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity 6. Deficient Knowledge 7. Decreased Cardiac Output 8. Excess Fluid Volume 9. Acute Pain 10. Ineffective Tissue Perfusion 11. Hyperthermia 12. Ineffective Breathing Pattern 13. Activity Intolerance 14. Ineffective Airway Clearance 15. Impaired Gas Exchange 16. Fatigue 17. Other Nursing Care Plans 1 Decreased Cardiac Output Decreased Cardiac Output: Inadequate blood pumped by the heart to meet metabolic demands of the body. Nursing Diagnosis