Early right heart failure

Another common problem is early right heart failure following transplantation because of elevated pulmonary resistance in the recipient. The right ventricle of the donor is not adapted to this elevated pulmonary pressure and is therefore not able to function effectively (Klima et al. 2005). 

Acute pulmonary edema usually accompanies left heart failure. Successful treatment of pulmonary edema is crucial in order to avoid secondary right heart failure. Early interventions in patients with pulmonary edema include (1) sitting the patient upright to de-... 

The vascular changes of COPD include a thickening of pulmonary vessels and often are present early in the disease. These changes can be attributed to chronic inflammation and may lead to endothelial dysfunction of the pulmonary arteries. Later, structural changes lead to an increase in pulmonary pressures, especially during exercise. In severe COPD, secondary pulmonary hypertension leads to the development of right-sided heart failure. 

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