| left-sided heart failure | Inability of the left heart to maintain its circulatory load with corresponding rise in pressure in the pulmonary circulation usually with pulmonary congestion and ultimately pulmonary oedema. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| left ventricular failure | <cardiology> A disorder where the left side of the heart fails to pump blood effectively. This results in a back flow (and pressure) and congestion of blood into the lungs. The causes of this condition include, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, anaemia, hyperthyroidism, atrial myxoma, drug toxicity and congenital heart disease. Risk factors include diabetes, alcoholism, obesity and smoking. Symptoms include increasing shortness of breath with activity and while lying flat. Other symptoms include cough, palpitations, fatigue, decreased urine production and waking in the middle of the nigh with difficulty breathing. Complications include pulmonary oedema, arrhythmias and pleural effusion. (27 Sep 1997) |
| liver failure | A condition of severe end-stage liver dysfunction that is accompanied by a decline in mental status that may range from confusion (hepatic encephalopathy) to unresponsiveness (hepatic coma). Other features include a mousy odour to the breath, difficulty with balance and walking, tremor and impaired speech. (27 Sep 1997) |
| liver failure, acute | A form of liver failure with rapid onset. It is often induced by the toxic effect of drugs and various toxic substances in experimental studies in animals and in clinical states in humans. If coma ensues, the constellation of neurological symptoms is referred to as hepatic encephalopathy. (12 Dec 1998) |
| low output failure | Heart failure in which the cardiac output is subnormal, as is usually seen in failure due to coronary, hypertensive, or valvular heart disease. (05 Mar 2000) |