Which term describes right-sided heart failure due to long-term high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries and right ventricle?

• A. Cor pulmonale
• B. Ascites
• C. Myocardial hypertrophy
• D. JVT

Answer: (A)

Cor pulmonale is right-sided heart failure caused by chronic pulmonary hypertension, which develops from long-term high pressure in the pulmonary arteries that burden the right ventricle. Over time, this afterload forces the right ventricle to work harder, leading to hypertrophy and, eventually, failure. This condition explains why the heart on the right side cannot effectively pump blood into the lungs, causing systemic venous congestion with signs like edema and, sometimes, ascites. Ascites is a consequence of the failure rather than the name of the condition. Myocardial hypertrophy describes the thickening of the heart muscle itself and can occur as a response to increased pressure, but it isn’t the label for right-sided failure arising from pulmonary hypertension. JVT isn’t a recognized term in this context.