There are several tests that can be performed on patients in order to determine whether they may have heart failure. Exams should be performed on an individual who presents with the common symptoms or signs of heart failure such as dyspnea, tachycardia, or edema.15 Tests may also be done on individuals who don’t necessarily present with symptoms of heart failure, but may be at risk due to increasing age.
A physical exam is usually first in line when assessing someone for potential heart failure. Often times physicians will ask about medical or family history. During the exam, vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate will be assessed, as well as heart and breath sounds.16 Blood tests are done in order to analyze blood for electrolytes
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This device aims to target the primary issue of heart failure, which is the heart’s decrease in function. Ventricular assist devices help the heart pump blood from the ventricles to the rest of the body in a more efficient way.20 VAD can be used to treat left or right heart failure however, it is most commonly used in the left ventricle.20 A VAD can be used in patients who are awaiting heart transplantation but need short term support. It can also be used in patients who need long term support, but are not viable candidates to receive a heart transplant.20 Implantation of a ventricular assist device is an invasive procedure; so several diagnostic tests may be done in order to evaluate the eligibility of an individual to undergo the process. The procedure consists of an open heart surgery that lasts several hours.20 During the surgery, the individual is placed on mechanical ventilation and the heart is stopped via medication. A heart and lung bypass machine is used in order to allow oxygenated blood to continue to flow throughout the rest of the body.20 The VAD is then implanted into the right or left ventricle. A VAD specifically works by carrying blood through a tube from the ventricle to a pump. The pump then takes the blood to the aorta, where the blood can now be distributed to the rest of the body. A battery powered control unit is connected to the pump …show more content…
A study published in 2017 looked at the effects of BIPAP on Dyspnea and exercise tolerance in heart failure patients:
Patient requirements included a NYHA classification of I, II, and III, having heart failure for six months or longer, and a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 45%. Forty patients were split into two groups. One group was treated with BIPAP while the other was not. A six min walk study was done before and after the use of BIPAP. This study found that the use of BIPAP decreased the sense of Dyspnea, and increased the walking distance that the patients were able to do during the six min walk study.21 A study by Khayat et al.21 also showed that BIPAP could improve the function of both