Florida State Paramedic Practice Exam

Which of the following is a sign of heart failure?

1. Increased heart rate

2. Enlarged liver

3. Elevated blood pressure

4. Chest pain

The correct answer is: Enlarged liver

An enlarged liver, or hepatomegaly, is indeed a significant sign of heart failure. In heart failure, the heart's ability to pump blood effectively is compromised, leading to a backlog of blood in the venous system. This congestion can cause fluid to accumulate in various organs, including the liver. As the pressure in the blood vessels of the liver increases, it leads to engorgement and enlargement of the liver. In contrast, while an increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure may also be observed in some patients with heart failure, they are not definitive indicators of the condition itself. Elevated blood pressure could be a response to stress or other physiological factors, and an increased heart rate might be a compensatory mechanism rather than a characteristic of heart failure. Chest pain, while it can occur in conjunction with heart conditions, is not a specific sign of heart failure either; it may be related to other conditions, such as angina or myocardial infarction. Thus, the presence of an enlarged liver serves as a more specific indicator of the pathological processes occurring in heart failure.