Chronic Diseases
Heart
Dysfunction (HD)
What is Heart Dysfunction?
Heart dysfunction broadly describes any condition that results in the heart not pumping blood as efficiently as it should. The rest of the body relies on oxygen and nutrients in the bloodstream to continue functioning properly. A weakened heart uses various compensation mechanisms to keep up with the metabolic demands of the body. If the underlying heart condition is not treated, the cycle of compensation mechanisms continues to damage the heart until medical intervention is required.
Heart dysfunction is divided into distinct phases that correlate to disease progression.8
Stage A: At Risk for Heart Failure
No current or previous symptoms
Stage B: Pre-Heart Failure
No current or previous symptoms, but evidence of heart failure
Stage C: Symptomatic Heart Failure
Current or previous symptoms
Stage D: Advanced Heart Failure
Marked heart failure symptoms that interfere with daily life, frequent hospitalizations
Common Symptoms
While there are common symptoms associated with heart dysfunction, many people do not experience any symptoms at all, which makes early diagnosis even more crucial. Often, once symptoms do appear, the disease may have already progressed significantly. If they do occur, symptoms of heart dysfunction may include:10
Who is at Risk?
 Age-Related Illness |  Smoking/Drinking |  High Blood Pressure |  Existing Cardiovascular Disease |
 Ethnicity |  Obesity |  Irregular Heartbeat |  Type 2 Diabetes |
Diagnosing Heart Dysfunction
American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and the Heart Failure Society of America have collectively recommended early screening, detection, and treatment to prevent progression to symptomatic cardiac dysfunction.13
A Solution for Early Detection
QuantaFlo HD supports in the early detection of “hemodynamically significant” cardiovascular disease. As published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine, QuantaFlo showed a statistically significant correlation with cardiac echocardiography, which is a gold standard for diagnosing heart failure. Approximately 90% of patients who tested positive for heart dysfunction with QuantaFlo HD were accurately identified as having heart failure confirmed by echocardiography.
However, unlike echocardiography, QuantaFlo HD testing can be completed in a matter of minutes directly at the point of care using only a sensor, whistle, and compatible laptop or tablet.
Electrocardiogram (ECG) + Lab Work
Standard testing for heart dysfunction involves pairing an ECG with blood work to detect rhythmic irregularities in the heart or any changes in electrolytes or kidney, thyroid, and liver function.13
Additionally, a blood test for B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is especially helpful if patients report shortness of breath. When the heart is stressed, this hormone is secreted into the bloodstream, which can be an indication of heart dysfunction.
However, because other factors unrelated to heart dysfunction may also cause an elevation in BNP, it’s important that providers review all parameters together to determine what other tests may be needed and/or how to proceed with treatment.
Echocardiogram
An ultrasound of the heart is the gold standard diagnostic test for determining the extent of cardiac dysfunction. Echos provide information on the thickness of the heart muscle, the size of the heart chambers, the condition and performance of the valves, as well as how effectively the heart ejects blood to the rest of the body. All these data points are crucial in determining the type and severity of the cardiac dysfunction.14
Echos are performed by specially trained cardiac sonographers and can take 30-45 minutes to perform. The results are then sent to a cardiologist for interpretation.
