Diagnosis: Left Sided Heart Failure Left sided heart failure is the most common type of heart failure and is the result of left ventricular dysfunction. This disease poses a significant threat to patients because the primary function of the left side of the heart is to provide sufficient oxygenated blood to meet the metabolic demands of the body's cells. Understanding the primary function of this portion of the heart will help understand other complications associated with this disease. Left heart failure is usually the result of loss of heart muscle function, particularly in the left ventricle, secondary to coronary artery disease, prolonged hypertension, or myocardial infection (Lewis et al. 2014, 766). The pathophysiology of left heart failure is primarily a macroscopic disorder and will be described as such. Loss of cardiac muscle leads to decreased cardiac output, increased preload, and increased afterload. Cardiac output (CO) equals stroke volume multiplied by heart rate (CO = SV x HR). When CO decreases, compensatory mechanisms in the body are activated to increase stroke volume and heart rate, which consequently increases CO. The compensatory mechanism in the body increases the heart rate by releasing norepinephrine which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (Lewis et al. 2014, 768). Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system causes vasoconstriction and increased heart rate. The compensatory mechanism in the body increases stroke volume by activating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system. This activation results in increased sodium and water retention which increases stroke volume (Storia 2012, 104). Offsets will only keep t...... middle of paper ...... Berger, eds. 2008. Laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures. 5th ed. St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders Elsevier. Lewis, Sharon Mantik, Shannon Ruff Dirksen, Margaret M. Heitkemper, and Linda Bucher. 2014. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Issues. 9th ed. St. Louis, MI: Elsevier Mosby.Pai, Rakesh. 2011. “Echocardiogram”. WebMD. Last modified: December 9th. Accessed March 24, 2014. http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/echocardiogram?page=1.Story, Lachel. 2012. Pathophysiology: A Practical Approach. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.Vallerand, April Hazard, Cynthia A. Sanoski, and Judith Hopfer Deglin. 2013. Davis Medication Guide for Nurses. 13th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.Vallerand, April Hazard, Cynthia A. Sanoski, and Judith Hopfer Deglin. 2013. Davis Medication Guide for Nurses. (CD) 13th ed. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company.