NREMT Paramedic Practice

Which condition is a result of left ventricular failure?

1. Acute Myocardial Infarction

2. Right Ventricular Heart Failure

3. Pneumothorax

4. Atrial Fibrillation

The correct answer is: Right Ventricular Heart Failure

Left ventricular failure can lead to right ventricular heart failure due to the interconnected nature of the heart's chambers and their physiological functions. When the left ventricle fails, it struggles to effectively pump blood to the body, which can result in increased pressure in the pulmonary circulation. This elevated pressure can subsequently cause the right ventricle to work harder to pump blood into the lungs, potentially leading to right ventricular failure over time. In essence, left ventricular failure creates a congestion scenario in the lungs, increasing the workload on the right side of the heart. Consequently, this can lead to symptoms associated with right-sided heart failure, such as peripheral edema and hepatic congestion. Understanding this relationship helps in diagnosing and treating heart failure more comprehensively by considering the left and right ventricles' interdependence. Other options such as acute myocardial infarction, pneumothorax, and atrial fibrillation, while potentially related to heart function, do not directly result from left ventricular failure itself. An acute myocardial infarction is primarily a blockage of coronary arteries, pneumothorax involves air in the pleural space impacting respiratory function, and atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia that can occur independently or as a complication of various heart conditions, but not a direct consequence