Posted: February 16th, 2016

Describe the pathologic process that is occurring.

Mrs. Harris is a 72-year-old female who complains of fatigue and swelling in her feet. She says it’s been happening for a few months. She states her feet hurt when they’re swollen and she elevates her legs when she can. Generally, in the morning, the swelling is almost gone but by afternoon it’s back. Sometimes she can’t even put on her shoes because of the swelling. And when she walks down her driveway to pick up her mail, it makes her more tired and she gets short of breath. She has high blood pressure (hypertension) and takes a medication for it everyday. She says she drinks about 8-12 glasses of wine a week (red wine, she says, because it’s good for your heart).

As you are looking at her, you can see that her ankles are swollen and she is slightly overweight. When you listen to her breath sounds, you hear a few crackles and not the clear breathing you’d expect.

1. What do you think is going on with Mrs. Harris?

2. Describe the pathologic process that is occurring.

3. What changes are going on in the heart that are occurring as a result of this? Can other factors come into play here?

4. Describe what happens when someone has dilated cardiomyopathy.

5. Is what is happening with Mrs. Harris a chronic condition or not? What could she do in terms of health promotion to help herself?