Clinical Nurse Leader Practice Exam

What is an expected effect of right-sided heart failure on the body?

1. Increased blood pressure

2. Peripheral edema

3. Shortness of breath on exertion

4. Decreased heart rate

The correct answer is: Peripheral edema

When discussing right-sided heart failure, peripheral edema is indeed a common and expected effect on the body. In right-sided heart failure, the heart's ability to pump blood effectively to the lungs is compromised. As a result, blood can back up in the venous system, leading to increased venous pressure. This elevated pressure causes fluid to seep from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissues, which manifests as swelling, commonly seen in the lower extremities such as the legs and feet. This condition results from the heart's inability to accommodate the volume of blood returning from the body, leading to congestion and subsequent edema rather than adequately circulating that blood onward to the lungs for oxygenation. Recognizing this sign can help in the assessment and management of patients with heart failure. Other options, while they may be relevant to heart failure, are not characteristic or typical effects specifically associated with right-sided heart failure. For instance, increased blood pressure is associated with left-sided heart failure and volume overload. Shortness of breath is more typically linked to left-sided issues where pulmonary congestion occurs. Decreased heart rate is not a typical outcome of right-sided heart failure and can be influenced by various other factors or conditions.