Which finding is commonly associated with right-sided heart failure?

Which finding is commonly associated with right-sided heart failure?

• A. Swelling of the legs, hands, and liver
• B. Crackles in the lungs
• C. Orthopnea
• D. Nocturnal dyspnea

Answer: (A)

Right-sided heart failure causes systemic venous congestion. When the right ventricle struggles, blood backs up into the peripheral veins, raising hydrostatic pressure in the legs and other dependent areas, leading to edema in the legs and sometimes in the hands. This venous congestion also backs up into the liver, causing hepatomegaly and sometimes abdominal distension from ascites. These systemic signs—especially swelling of the legs and liver—are characteristic of right-sided failure. By contrast, crackles in the lungs, orthopnea, and nocturnal dyspnea arise from pulmonary congestion, which is typical of left-sided heart failure, not right-sided.

Right-sided heart failure causes systemic venous congestion. When the right ventricle struggles, blood backs up into the peripheral veins, raising hydrostatic pressure in the legs and other dependent areas, leading to edema in the legs and sometimes in the hands. This venous congestion also backs up into the liver, causing hepatomegaly and sometimes abdominal distension from ascites. These systemic signs—especially swelling of the legs and liver—are characteristic of right-sided failure. By contrast, crackles in the lungs, orthopnea, and nocturnal dyspnea arise from pulmonary congestion, which is typical of left-sided heart failure, not right-sided.