see also: [[Pulmonary Hypertension]], [[Congestive Heart Failure]], [[Peri-intubation collapse]]
> [!references]-
> see: [Deranged physiology - right heart failure](https://derangedphysiology.com/main/required-reading/cardiology/Chapter%205132/right-heart-failure), [cardiac ICU - pulmonary hypertension](x-devonthink-item://C5BE7A05-6B49-44F9-A896-007551DBE78A?page=441)
> - [Management of Crashing Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension - Greenwood 2015](bookends://sonnysoftware.com/ref/DL/207779)
> - [Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Failure in Emergency Medicine - 2015 Wilcox](cubox://card?id=7247211468771296586) — [bookends PDF](bookends://sonnysoftware.com/ref/DL/230990)
> - [Pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure - first10em](cubox://card?id=6826101067164420621)
> - [Getting it 'Right': Pulmonary Hypertension in the ED - EMOttawa Blog](https://emottawablog.com/2017/08/getting-right-pulmonary-hypertension-ed/)
> - [Biomechanics of the Right ventricle 2014](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1086/677354) - [bookends pdf](bookends://sonnysoftware.com/ref/DL/220139)
> management of right heart failure is intrinsically similar to management for [[Pulmonary Hypertension]] as RV failure is the hallmark of decompensated pulmonary hypertension; see this article for more information about the pathophysiology
## Causes (organised by pathophysiology)
- pressure overload
- left heart failure (most common)
- [[Pulmonary Embolism]]
- RV outflow tract obstruction
- pulm stenosis
- volume overload
- Tricuspid regurgitation
- pulm regurgitation
- carcinoid syndrome
- renal failure
- ischaemia
- RV [[ACS|myocardial infarction]]
- ischemia contributing to RV dysfunction in CHD and RV overload states
- intrinsic myocardial disease
- cardiomyopathy and heart failure
- arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
- sepsis
- pericardial disease
- constrictive [[Pericarditis]]
- congenital defect
- tetralogy of fallot
- inflow limitation
- tricuspid stenosis
- SVC stenosis
## causes of RV failure (organised by system)
- vascular
- left-sided HF (most common)
- PE
- [[Pulmonary Hypertension]] of any cause
- RV outflow tract obstruction
- ARVC
- right-sided infarct
- tricuspid or pulm regurg
- ASD
- infection
- tricuspid [[Endocarditis]]
- sepsis
- myocarditis
- neoplastic
- carcinoid
- SVC obstruction from tumour or radiotherapy
- atrial myxoma
- traumatic
- contusio cordis -- right heart contusion
- autoimmune
- rheumatic valvulitis
- SLE
- sarcoiditis
- congenital
- endocrine
- severe acidosis → pulmonary hypertension
# haemodynamic management for severe right heart failure
see also: [[Pulmonary Hypertension#Management|pulm HTN management]]
| issue | rationale | ED management |
| ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Ventilation | avoid hypercaponea and hypoxia -- both will vasoconstrict pulmonary arteries | - avoid intubation if possible<br>- NIV if needed but careful with PEEP |
| volume mgmt | avoid hypervolaemia (acute strain and pressure on LV)<br>- in acute RV failure (eg infarct), need ↑ preload | - usually lasix<br>- may need urgent RRT<br>- rarely need fluid bolus unless definite volume depletion |
| BP control / ionotropy | keep systolic BP > RVSP <br>MAP > 65 | adrenaline or [[Dobutamine]] infusion<br>+/- [[Noradrenaline\|norad]]<br>vasopressin OK; needs central line |
| decrease RV afterload | improve RV failure and V/Q mismatch | inhaled nitric oxide or prostacyclin (not usually available in ED) |
| aspect | mgmt |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| preload | acute: ↑ preload<br>chronic: ↓ preload (not much; diuretics, GTN) |
| afterload | 1. prevent pulm vasoconstriction:<br>- < PEEP 6-10 (as low as possible)<br>- avoid intubation and NIV<br>- SpO2 > 92%<br>- PaCO2 35-45<br>- pH 7.35 - 7.45<br>- SBP > pulm BP (but avoid too much norad)<br>2. ↑ pulm vasodilation<br>- not really in ED, eg Nitric oxide, etc |
| contractility | - [[Dobutamine]] for acute right infarction if PA pressure normal<br>- [[Milrinone]] if PA pressure up <br>- levosimendan |