Which condition is right-sided heart failure due to chronic lung disease?

Which condition is right-sided heart failure due to chronic lung disease?

• A. Cor Pulmonale
• B. Spina Bifida
• C. DIC
• D. Trismus

Answer: (A)

Cor pul­monale is right-sided heart failure that arises from chronic lung disease. When the lungs are chronically diseased, low oxygen levels trigger vasoconstriction and structural changes in the pulmonary arteries. This raises pulmonary arterial pressure, creating a high afterload for the right ventricle. To cope, the right ventricle hypertrophies and may eventually dilate and fail, leading to systemic venous congestion. That’s why cor pulmonale is characterized by signs such as leg edema, jugular venous distension, and liver congestion. The other conditions don’t fit this scenario: spina bifida is a neural tube defect; DIC is a widespread coagulopathy; trismus is a jaw muscle spasm. None describe right-sided failure driven by chronic lung disease.

Cor pul­monale is right-sided heart failure that arises from chronic lung disease. When the lungs are chronically diseased, low oxygen levels trigger vasoconstriction and structural changes in the pulmonary arteries. This raises pulmonary arterial pressure, creating a high afterload for the right ventricle. To cope, the right ventricle hypertrophies and may eventually dilate and fail, leading to systemic venous congestion. That’s why cor pulmonale is characterized by signs such as leg edema, jugular venous distension, and liver congestion.

The other conditions don’t fit this scenario: spina bifida is a neural tube defect; DIC is a widespread coagulopathy; trismus is a jaw muscle spasm. None describe right-sided failure driven by chronic lung disease.