Advanced Patient Assessment Practice Exam

Which condition is commonly associated with right heart failure?

1. Shallow breathing

2. Organomegaly

3. Hepatomegaly

4. Loud A2 heart sound

The correct answer is: Hepatomegaly

Hepatomegaly is commonly associated with right heart failure due to the increased pressure in the right side of the heart and subsequent congestion in the systemic venous circulation. This congestion can lead to liver enlargement as blood backs up into the hepatic veins, causing swelling and a distended liver. As right heart failure progresses, the liver may become increasingly engorged due to the impaired venous return, resulting in hepatomegaly. Other conditions, while they may occur in various circumstances, do not specifically correlate with the pathophysiology of right heart failure in the same way hepatomegaly does. Shallow breathing can be a result of multiple factors, but it's not directly indicative of right heart failure. Organomegaly might refer broadly to enlargement of organs but does not specify which organ is involved, making it a less precise choice. A loud A2 heart sound typically reflects conditions affecting the left heart (like hypertension causing increased pressure), rather than being a common marker for right heart failure.