Start with we will discuss the topic of congestive heart failure. So, as the name tells heart failure means this is a condition characterized by inability of heart to do its function. Condition of heart. is to supply the blood to all parts of the body according to their requirement. So, when heart is not able to do that it is called heart failure.
Now, if we see we have four chambers of the heart right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle. Now left ventricle pump the blood all over the body through iota. all over the body. On the other hand right ventricle it pump the blood mainly into the pulmonary circulation which is the lungs.
Now, from the lungs the blood will reach the left atrium from there it reach the left ventricle again it is pumped all over the body. Superior and inferior vena cava bring the blood into the right atrium. So, the circulation we all know.
Suppose, there is left ventricular failure that means, left ventricle is not able to pump the blood. So, when left ventricle is not able to pump the blood the first of all body parts will not get the blood, second blood will accumulate in the left ventricle, left ventricle get the blood from the left atrium. So, it will start accumulating here, left atrium get the blood from the lungs. So, it will start accumulating here.
So, left ventricular failure will result in pulmonary edema. Similarly, if right ventricle fails the blood will accumulate in the right ventricle it leads to accumulation of blood in the right atrium right atrium takes the blood from inferior and superior vena cava it will accumulate there inferior vena cava take the blood from the lower part of the body like liver. So, blood will accumulate in the liver leading to hepatomigal congestive hepatomigal superior vena cava take the blood from the jugular veins.
So, blood will accumulate here. resulting in increase in jugular venous pressure. So, basically what is happening is when blood is not pumped that means, when the heart fails it will lead to accumulation of blood in the areas from where it was getting the blood. In case of left ventricular failure there is pulmonary edema whereas, in right ventricular failure there is accumulation of blood in the liver and jugular veins.
So, that will lead to hepatomegaly and increase in jugular venous pressure. And we all know accumulation of fluid is known as congestion. So, that is why the term used in heart failure is congestive hepatomygaly. So, due to failure of heart to pump the fluid accumulates in different parts of the body this is called as congestive heart failure. So, based on this pathogenesis the simple aim of treatment in heart failure or congestive heart failure are two aims.
We have two problems. So, we have to treat those two problems. The first problem is.
The blood is getting accumulated in the different parts of the body. So, we have to remove the excessive fluid. Second heart is not able to pump.
So, we need to increase the pumping activity of the heart. These are the two main aims in the treatment of congestive heart failure. The drugs which are used to remove the fluid from the body are diuretics and the drugs which increase the pumping activity of the heart they are called as inotropics.