Heart Failure

Heart FailureAssessment & Treatment

Presented by:Tammie Luman, RN, BSN

Hello, My name is Tammie Luman. Today you will learn two quick phrases that make assessing and treating heart failure easy to understand1Heart Failure-Definition Heart failure: Inability of heart to provide adequate blood to meet the bodies needs

www.mayoclinic.com

Heart failure is the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. When this happens a nurse must think and act quickly. just two words can help you remember what to do 2Heart FailureThink A. S. S. E. S. S.

then T. R. E. A. T.

The magic words are Assess and Treat3Heart FailureA Appetite (lack of)S Shortness of breathS Sudden weight gainE EdemaS Signs of fatigueS Soaring heart rate

www.heart.orgThink AssessAppetite does your patient have one, are they nauseatedShortness of Breath do little things cause the patient to be breathless. Do they have a persistent cough?Sudden Weight Gain has the patient gained 2-3 pounds in last day or twoEdema are their feet or ankles swollen. This is indicative of fluid retentionSigns of Fatigue - ask if your patient is tired and / or weekSoaring heart rate is their heart raising? Are they tachycardic

4T Take Digoxin & diureticR - RestE Eat Na dietA ACE and ARBsT Teach, Teach , Teach

Heart Failure

(Housel, 2007)Once you assess you then need to TREATTake Digoxin to strenghthen heart muscle so more blood is pumped with each beat. Diuretics such as Lasix, help rid the body of excess fluidRestEat a 2 gram sodium cardiac dietACE and ARBs help blood vessels relax and put less strain on the heart. ARB is a vasodialator sometimes used by itself or an ACE. Beta blockers slow heart rate and decrease force of heart beatAnd dont forget daily weights are essential for identifying heart failureTeaching your pateint about their medications, diet , activity and daily weights can help them manage their heart failure and improve quality of life

5Heart FailureRememberTwo Words. A. S. S. E. S. S. then T. R. E. A. T.

The words are Assess and Treat6Principles for Power PointLarge font for ease of readingTitle appears on each slideSimple background limits distractionSimple colors for slides (white on blue)Slides are presented clearly and logicallyText was used sparingly so as not to bore or confuse readersPictures are clear

(Paradi), (Hilman)7Heart FailureReferences:Hilman, D. (n.d.). Five principles of great powerpoint presentation. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from Ezine Articles: http://www.Ezinearticles.comHousel, J. (2007). Heart Failure Patient Education. Heart Failure Patient Education . Titusville, Florida, U.S.A.: Parrish Medical Center.Paradi, D. (n.d.). How to avoid "Death by powerpoint". Retrieved February 28, 2011, from Think outside the slide: http://www.thinkoutsidetheslide.com/articles/avoid-death-by-ppt.htmStaff, M. C. (n.d.). Heart failure. Retrieved March 5, 2011, from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heartfailure/Warning signs of heart failure. (2011, February 24). Retrieved March 8, 2011, from Heart.org: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartFailure/

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