Which condition describes the heart being unable to pump its required amount of blood?

• A. Pericarditis
• B. Mitral Valve Prolapse
• C. Congestive Heart Failure
• D. Stenosis

Answer: (C)

When the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, that condition is heart failure. Congestive heart failure specifically describes this reduced pumping ability, often with fluid buildup in tissues and lungs because the body’s compensatory systems raise volume and pressure in an attempt to improve circulation. This can stem from a weakened heart muscle or stiff ventricles, leading to lower cardiac output and symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, and edema.

Other conditions involve the heart or its valves in different ways. Pericarditis is inflammation of the lining around the heart and can cause chest pain and trouble with heart movement rather than a primary failure to pump. Mitral Valve Prolapse involves the mitral valve leaflets bulging backward, which can cause regurgitation but isn’t defined by the heart’s inability to pump its required amount of blood. Stenosis means narrowing of a valve, which can impede flow but again isn’t the general descriptor of pumping failure.