NREMT Paramedic Practice

Which condition can cause right-sided heart failure?

1. Chronic hypotension

2. Acute respiratory distress

3. Kidney stones

4. Stroke

The correct answer is: Chronic hypotension

Chronic hypotension can lead to right-sided heart failure primarily due to the continued strain it places on the heart and the systemic circulation. In chronic hypotension, the heart often has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body, which can cause the right ventricle to become enlarged or weakened over time. This dysfunction can impede the right ventricle's ability to effectively pump blood into the lungs, leading to fluid backing up in the systemic circulation, which contributes to signs and symptoms of right-sided heart failure such as peripheral edema and ascites. While acute respiratory distress can affect the right side of the heart due to increased pulmonary pressures, it typically does not cause chronic right-sided heart failure on its own. Kidney stones and stroke also do not have a direct link to causing right-sided heart failure in the same manner. Understanding the chronic effects of lowered systemic pressures and the resultant heart strain is key to recognizing how conditions like chronic hypotension can lead to right-sided heart failure.