Right heart failure

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Right heart failure
ICD-10 I26, I27
ICD-9 415.0
MeSH D011660

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Cor pulmonale, also known as right heart failure, is a medical term used to describe a change in structure and function of the right ventricle of the heart as a result of a respiratory disorder. Right ventricular hypertrophy or RVH is the predominant change in chronic cor pulmonale although in acute cases dilation dominates. Both hypertrophy and dilation are the result of increased right ventricular pressure.

Dilation is essentially a stretching of the ventricle, the immediate result of increasing the pressure in an elastic container. Ventricular hypertrophy is an adaptive response to a long-term increase in pressure. Additional muscle grows to allow for the increased contractile force required to move the blood against greater resistance.

To be classified as cor pulmonale, the cause must originate in the pulmonary circulation system. Two major causes are vascular changes as a result of tissue damage (e.g. disease, hypoxic injury, chemical agents etc.), and chronic hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. RVH due to a systemic defect is not classified as cor pulmonale.

Left untreated, cor pulmonale can lead to right heart failure and death.

Pathophysiology

There are several mechanisms leading to pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale:

Causes

Acute

Chronic

Differential Diagnosis

In alphabetical order. [1] [2]

Complications

Blood backups up into the system venous system, including the hepatic vein. Chronic congestion in the centrilobular region of the liver leads to hypoxia and fatty changes of more peripheral hepatocytes, leading to what's known as nutmeg liver.

Treatment

Elimination of the cause is the most important intervention. In pulmonary embolism, thrombolysis (enzymatic dissolution of the blood clot) is advocated if there is dysfunction of the right ventricle. In COPD, long-term oxygen therapy may improve cor pulmonale.

Cor pulmonale may lead to congestive heart failure (CHF), with worsening of respiration due to pulmonary edema, swelling of the legs due to peripheral edema and painful congestive hepatomegaly. This situation requires diuretics (to decrease strain on the heart), sometimes nitrates (to improve blood flow), phosphodiesterase inhibitors like Sildenafil, tadalafil and occasionally inotropes (to improve heart contractility). CHF is a negative prognostic indicator in cor pulmonale.

References

  1. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:77 ISBN 1591032016
  2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:68 ISBN 140510368X

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