Heart failure in the Kenntnisprüfung
The heart no longer pumps enough blood for the body. Exam classics: left- vs. right-sided heart failure (Links- vs. Rechtsherzinsuffizienz), daily weight checks, fluid balance (Bilanzierung) and recognising signs of decompensation early.
Content created with AI assistance from public clinical sources (RKI, AWMF) – may contain mistakes; if in doubt, your textbook is right
Translated from the German original, which is authoritative. The exam itself is in German.
Sample questions from exam preparation
Which signs indicate cardiac decompensation (kardiale Dekompensation)?
- Weight loss, dry mucous membranes and standing skin folds
- Rapid weight gain, increasing leg oedema, shortness of breath up to orthopnoea
- Fever, cough with yellow sputum and chest pain that depends on breathing
- Bradycardia, low blood pressure and warm, pink extremities
Explanation: Fluid retention shows as a jump in weight, oedema and congestion of the lungs (shortness of breath, coughing at night, orthopnoea). That is why the daily weight check is the central early-warning system.
Why are patients with heart failure weighed every day at the same time?
- To assess nutritional status and detect malnutrition early
- So that the nurse can increase the diuretic dose on their own if the weight goes up
- A gain of more than 2 kg in 3 days indicates fluid retention — inform the doctor
- Only a gain of more than 5 kg in one week is relevant — then inform the doctor
Explanation: The weight trend measures the fluid balance more reliably than the eye. The 2 kg / 3 days rule is the classic threshold for reporting; adjusting the dose remains a medical decision.
Key German terms for Heart failure
- die Herzinsuffizienz – heart failure
- dekompensiert – decompensated
- das Ödem / die Beinödeme – edema / leg swelling
- die Dyspnoe / die Atemnot – dyspnea / shortness of breath
- die Orthopnoe – orthopnea (breathlessness lying flat)
20 exam questions on Heart failure, plus case simulations with an AI examiner and graded feedback – practise until you feel confident.
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