clinical features

Last edited 08/2022

Symptoms include:
  • tiredness, weakness, anorexia
  • dyspnoea on exertion (most common) (1)
  • oedema (abdominal or lower extremities)
  • hepatic pain
  • symptoms of underlying cause.

Signs include:

  • warm, cyanosed extremities
  • bounding pulse
  • raised JVP or JV distention
  • may be functional tricuspid incompetence – prominent or systolic 'v' waves seen in JVP
  • gallop rhythm, loud P2 due to pulmonary hypertension, but overlying emphysema may reduce heart sounds
  • hepatomegaly, peripheral oedema (best sign of right heart failure but nonspecific), ascites.

Reference:

  • (1) Garrison DM, Pendela VS, Memon J. Cor Pulmonale. [Updated 2021 Aug 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430739/ (Accessed on 15 Aug 2022).