1. < Heart & Blood Health

Right side heart failure

Posted by naiviv @naiviv, Oct 8, 2022

My husband started to have swollen legs, shortness of breath and dizziness. His BP has always been normal with some ups and downs in the readings but within what the cardiologist wants. He had to be admitted to the hospital due to the fluid retention. His EKG normal as well as all his lab tests. The Echocardiogram showed a slight increase in size of the right side of his heart. He has veen suffering from sleep apnea for 7 yrs and the calibration of his CPAP has increased from 4.0 up to 14.0. According to all the opinions of every physician that have treated him all if them say that there might be a connection between his sleep apnea condition, the enlarged right side of the heart and the forced pressure of air. Still the cardiologists are not sure but my husband will have a Right side catheterization to find out anatomically whzt is going on. Has anyone been in this situation? Does anyone have been diagnosed with Right side heart failure? The physicians have not diagnosed him yet with this but they probably will get more answers after the cath is performed. Thank you in advance for any information.

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Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Oct 8, 2022

Hello @naiviv, I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. Hoping you get some answers when the doctors find out more after the upcoming procedure is done. Hoping members with right side heart failure can share their experience with you. I did find this information that sounds similar to your husband's symptoms along with other information that might be helpful.

"When the right side loses pumping power, blood backs up in the body's veins. This usually causes swelling or congestion in the legs, ankles and swelling within the abdomen such as the GI tract and liver (causing ascites)."
-- Types of Heart Failure | American Heart Association:
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/what-is-heart-failure/types-of-heart-failure

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Valerie | @lacy2 | Oct 8, 2022

...sorry to ask, as don't have any info to offer; but I once read that blood pressure readings/pulse etc. should be taken in both arms..would it be because right side of heart different than left in some way?... recently at emerge when intake nurse took my bp left arm and I asked if she would also take bp in right arm, she smiled sweetly and said 'no.' But at home sometimes my right and left arm register different bp and oxi... anyone have any information on this, thanks. J. p.s. odd as when take temperature right side of mouth always higher than left.... odd isn't it?? NAIVIV sorry to hear of your husband's illness. J.

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2 replies
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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Oct 8, 2022
In reply to @lacy2 "...sorry to ask, as don't have any info to offer; but I once read that blood..." + (show)
@lacy2

...sorry to ask, as don't have any info to offer; but I once read that blood pressure readings/pulse etc. should be taken in both arms..would it be because right side of heart different than left in some way?... recently at emerge when intake nurse took my bp left arm and I asked if she would also take bp in right arm, she smiled sweetly and said 'no.' But at home sometimes my right and left arm register different bp and oxi... anyone have any information on this, thanks. J. p.s. odd as when take temperature right side of mouth always higher than left.... odd isn't it?? NAIVIV sorry to hear of your husband's illness. J.

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I take my BP every morning and usually on my left arm. Sometimes will check it on the right arm if it's higher than normal. Here's some information on the topic:

-- Are you taking blood pressure in both arms? You should, study finds:
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/08/03/are-you-taking-blood-pressure-in-both-arms-you-should-study-finds

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1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Oct 9, 2022
In reply to @johnbishop "I take my BP every morning and usually on my left arm. Sometimes will check it..." + (show)
@johnbishop

I take my BP every morning and usually on my left arm. Sometimes will check it on the right arm if it's higher than normal. Here's some information on the topic:

-- Are you taking blood pressure in both arms? You should, study finds:
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/08/03/are-you-taking-blood-pressure-in-both-arms-you-should-study-finds

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@johnbishop Those of us who have a kidney dialysis fistula in one arm, are reminded to not have blood pressure taken, nor blood drawn on the arm where the fistula is located. There are some other restrictions, also, but these are the big ones!
Ginger

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Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Oct 9, 2022
In reply to @lacy2 "...sorry to ask, as don't have any info to offer; but I once read that blood..." + (show)
@lacy2

...sorry to ask, as don't have any info to offer; but I once read that blood pressure readings/pulse etc. should be taken in both arms..would it be because right side of heart different than left in some way?... recently at emerge when intake nurse took my bp left arm and I asked if she would also take bp in right arm, she smiled sweetly and said 'no.' But at home sometimes my right and left arm register different bp and oxi... anyone have any information on this, thanks. J. p.s. odd as when take temperature right side of mouth always higher than left.... odd isn't it?? NAIVIV sorry to hear of your husband's illness. J.

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@lacy2 Valerie, The right side of the heart is pumping blood to the lungs for oxygenation. Blood comes back from the lungs into the left side of the heart which is bigger by design because the left side pumps blood to the entire body. Arteries carry the oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart to the body, and veins return the oxygen depleted blood back to the right side of the heart. It makes sense then, that if the pump isn't functioning well, the blood backs up, and if that is the right side of the heart, it will back up into the veins. Gravity is a factor too, and veins have valves in them that close to prevent backward flow of blood, so with the ankles and feet being normally the lowest point, blood can pool there if the right side heart pump is not efficient. Arteries have muscular walls that contract in concert with the contractions in the heart. That is what you can feel in your pulse in an artery. The left side of the heart and arteries do all the work of delivering oxygenated blood, and the blood coasts back to the right side of the heart. The muscles in the body can help too a bit when contractions squeeze veins that are passing through them.

The heart is 4 chambered, and you can think of it as 2 pumps side by side that contract in unison. Each side has an atrium where the blood enters first, then blood passes through a valve into the larger chamber, the ventricle. The closing of the valve between chambers prevents the back flow of blood during the strongest contractions of the ventricles. There are also valves in the major arteries where the blood leaves the heart. Think of them as doors that open and close in perfect timing to prevent back flow.

To answer your question, sometimes things are not symmetrical in the body, and there could be other factors that affect blood flow. Blood pressure readings also vary if a person moves and change with stress levels. It can change moment to moment. I know that I can do some deep relaxed breathing and drop my blood pressure. A blood pressure reading is just a snapshot of what was happening at that instant.

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1 reply
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Dana, Volunteer Mentor | @danab | Oct 9, 2022
In reply to @jenniferhunter "@lacy2 Valerie, The right side of the heart is pumping blood to the lungs for oxygenation...." + (show)
@jenniferhunter

@lacy2 Valerie, The right side of the heart is pumping blood to the lungs for oxygenation. Blood comes back from the lungs into the left side of the heart which is bigger by design because the left side pumps blood to the entire body. Arteries carry the oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart to the body, and veins return the oxygen depleted blood back to the right side of the heart. It makes sense then, that if the pump isn't functioning well, the blood backs up, and if that is the right side of the heart, it will back up into the veins. Gravity is a factor too, and veins have valves in them that close to prevent backward flow of blood, so with the ankles and feet being normally the lowest point, blood can pool there if the right side heart pump is not efficient. Arteries have muscular walls that contract in concert with the contractions in the heart. That is what you can feel in your pulse in an artery. The left side of the heart and arteries do all the work of delivering oxygenated blood, and the blood coasts back to the right side of the heart. The muscles in the body can help too a bit when contractions squeeze veins that are passing through them.

The heart is 4 chambered, and you can think of it as 2 pumps side by side that contract in unison. Each side has an atrium where the blood enters first, then blood passes through a valve into the larger chamber, the ventricle. The closing of the valve between chambers prevents the back flow of blood during the strongest contractions of the ventricles. There are also valves in the major arteries where the blood leaves the heart. Think of them as doors that open and close in perfect timing to prevent back flow.

To answer your question, sometimes things are not symmetrical in the body, and there could be other factors that affect blood flow. Blood pressure readings also vary if a person moves and change with stress levels. It can change moment to moment. I know that I can do some deep relaxed breathing and drop my blood pressure. A blood pressure reading is just a snapshot of what was happening at that instant.

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Nice explanation, I really never have heard some of that, thanks

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1 reply
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Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Oct 9, 2022
In reply to @danab "Nice explanation, I really never have heard some of that, thanks" + (show)
@danab

Nice explanation, I really never have heard some of that, thanks

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Thanks, Dana. It's the biologist in me!

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