Heart Failure

  • Most common cause of heart failure in children is congenital heart defects
  • Most common complication of heart failure in children is pulmonary hypertension
Having a hard time breathing & easily fatigued
Symptoms of Heart Failure

Symptoms

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Rapid breathing
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • Fatigue or general weakness
  • Pale or bluish skin color
  • Poor appetite or difficulty feeding
  • Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet
  • Irritability or fussiness
  • Rapid weight gain due to fluid retention
  • Sweating, especially while feeding.

It is right-sided heart failure or left-sided heart failure?

  • Left-sided: Think symptoms related to the lungs such as dyspnea, cough, orthopnea, and tachypnea.
  • Right-sided: Think the Rest of the body such as hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, & lower extremity edema.
Heart Failure Interventions

Interventions

  • Oxygen
  • Strict I & O
  • Weight diapers for better output measurements
  • Elevate HOB to semi-fowler’s
  • Administer digoxin. Hold for HR < 90 in infants and < 70 in young children
  • Administer diuretics and check potassium
  • Administer ACE inhibitors: Monitor for cough, renal dysfunction, and hypotension
  • Teach parents CPR
[cube-3d-slider id=6]
Review Your Cart
0
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal