Which type of heart failure results from the heart's inability to pump effectively?

Prepare for the FISDAP EMT Cardiology Exam with our interactive quizzes and detailed explanations. Enhance your cardiology knowledge and boost your confidence for the EMT test.

Systolic heart failure is characterized by the heart's inability to pump effectively during the contraction phase, which is responsible for ejecting blood into the arteries. This type of heart failure typically occurs when the heart muscle becomes weak or is damaged, making it less efficient in pumping blood, which can lead to a buildup of blood in the chambers of the heart and reduced blood flow to the rest of the body.

In systolic heart failure, the ejection fraction—the percentage of blood that is pumped out of the heart with each beat—decreases, indicating that the heart is not able to supply sufficient blood to meet the body’s demands. This inefficiency can result from various conditions, such as myocardial infarction (heart attack), chronic hypertension, or cardiomyopathy, all of which affect the heart muscle's contractility.

The other types of heart failure, such as diastolic heart failure, involve a different mechanism where the heart's chambers become stiff and are unable to fill properly, rather than failing to pump effectively. Pulmonary heart failure primarily refers to right-sided heart failure, often stemming from problems in the lungs affecting the heart. Cardiac arrest, while a critical condition, involves a complete cessation of heart function rather than a specific type of

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