right ventricular failure; right heart failure

Etiology

• cor pulmonale
  • pulmonary hypertension
• right ventricular myocardial infarction
  • may be associated with inferior wall myocardial infarction
• left ventricular failure

Pathology

• diminished left ventricular preload & cardiac output

Clinical manifestations

• jugular venous distention (elevated central venous pressure)
• clear lung fields

Management

• push normal saline (several liters) to restore right ventricular contractility & left ventricular preload
• avoid pressors until volume expansion produces pulmonary edema

More general terms

• heart failure (HF)

More specific terms

• acute right ventricular failure; cor pumonale
• chronic right ventricular failure; cor pumonale
• cor pulmonale

Additional terms

• pulmonary hypertension
• right ventricular myocardial infarction (MI)