Introduction

Heart failure is a progressive disorder in which damage to the heart causes weakening of the cardiovascular system. It manifests by fluid congestion or inadequate blood flow to tissues. Heart failure progresses by underlying heart injury or inappropriate responses of the body to heart impairment.Heart failure may result from one or the sum of many causes. It is a progressive disorder that must be managed in regard to not only the state of the heart, but the condition of the circulation, lungs and other organs as well. Furthermore, when other conditions are present (e.g. kidney impairment, hypertension, vascular disease, or diabetes) it can be more of a problem. Finally, the impact it can have on a patient psychologically and socially are important as well.Failure of the left side of the heart is when Oxygenated blood from the lungs is pumped by the left side of the heart to the rest of the body. Failure of the left side of the heart results in insufficient delivery of oxygenated blood to the body. This failure can be caused by conditions such as heart valve disease, arrhythmia, hypertension and cardiomyopathy.

Additional signs indicating left ventricular failure include a laterally displaced apex beat(which occurs if the heart is enlarged) and a gallop rhythm (additional heart sounds) may be heard as a marker of increased blood flow, or increased intra-cardiac pressure. Currently congestive heart failure or heart failure, continues to be a major public health problem worldwide. It is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in most developed countries. According to the American Heart Association (2001), approximately 5 million patients have heartfailure and nearly 550,000 new

patients are diagnosed each year. In addition, nearly 300,000 patients die from heart failure yearly. In the Philippines, cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of mortality. According to the Department of Health (2005), about 77,060 in a 100, 000 populations have died in the Philippines due to diseases of the heart. The aging of the population and the emerging pandemic of cardiovascular diseases in the developing nations of the world signal a rise in the incidence and prevalence of heart failure globally and magnify the

importance of its prevention. The prevention of heart failure is an urgent public health need with national and global implications. This paper is a case report about patient X, a female of Patient of Purok kanipaan,sitio Daliao, brgy. Toril, Davao City,, Filipino, nonhypertensive, nondiabetic, and to decrease

the prevalence of heart failure in the general population. Also, it explores the need for thorough case analysis of a client to deliver the best nursing care.