Cardiac Medicine Certification (CMC) Practice Exam

Which condition characterizes systolic dysfunction in heart failure?

1. Left ventricle cannot pump effectively

2. Left ventricle cannot fill properly

3. Decreased stroke volume leads to systemic pressure rise

4. Resistance in arterial circulation increases

The correct answer is: Left ventricle cannot pump effectively

Systolic dysfunction in heart failure is primarily characterized by the inability of the left ventricle to pump effectively. This condition occurs when the heart muscle does not contract with enough force, resulting in a reduced ejection fraction. In systolic heart failure, the left ventricle’s weakened contraction leads to inadequate circulation of blood to meet the body's needs. Patients often experience symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and fluid retention due to this reduced pumping efficiency. The other options relate to different aspects of heart failure or to diastolic dysfunction, where the focus is on filling rather than pumping. For instance, the inability of the left ventricle to fill properly describes diastolic dysfunction rather than systolic dysfunction. Decreased stroke volume leading to an increase in systemic pressure usually suggests a compensatory mechanism rather than an intrinsic problem with the heart muscle's ability to contract. Similarly, increased resistance in arterial circulation may result from various conditions but does not directly define systolic dysfunction itself. Hence, the correct answer highlights the impairment in the heart’s pumping capacity, a hallmark of systolic dysfunction.