A client is admitted to the hospital with aortic stenosis. What assessment findings would indicate the development of left ventricular failure?
Biology · High School · Thu Feb 04 2021
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On physical exam, the most common signs encountered are: Rales on lung auscultation indicative of pulmonary edema. Decreased breath sounds on lung auscultation suggestive of pleural effusion. S3 gallop on heart auscultation indicative of elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure.
When the left ventricle fails, increased fluid pressure is, in effect, transferred back through the lungs, ultimately damaging the heart's right side. When the right side loses pumping power, blood backs up in the body's veins.