Which of the following is a typical finding for left-sided heart failure?

• A. Peripheral edema
• B. Abdominal distension
• C. Decreased respiratory rate
• D. Crackles in lungs

Answer: (D)

Left-sided heart failure causes blood to back up into the lungs. When the left ventricle can’t effectively pump, pressure rises in the left atrium and pulmonary veins, pushing fluid into the lung tissue and air spaces. That fluid accumulation janglingly shows up as crackles when you listen with a stethoscope and often leads to shortness of breath. Edema in the legs or abdomen and a slower-than-normal breathing rate aren’t typical of left-sided failure; those signs point more toward congestion on the right side or a more complex, bi-ventricular picture. So crackles in the lungs best reflect left-sided heart failure.