What are the symptoms of cor pulmonale?

Cor pulmonale can have some impacts and harms on our physical health. If it is not treated effectively, it can easily cause patients to experience breathing difficulties, palpitations, chest tightness or heart failure. Therefore, we must pay attention to the occurrence of these symptoms.

1. Clinical manifestations of cor pulmonale

1) Compensatory stage of pulmonary and heart function: mainly manifested by the characteristics of the primary disease, such as chronic cough, sputum, wheezing and shortness of breath in COPD, recurrent wheezing in asthma, sputum, hemoptysis, fatigue and weight loss in tuberculosis.

2) Pulmonary and heart function decompensation stage: Symptoms of respiratory failure appear, such as dyspnea, palpitations, chest tightness, cyanosis, and in severe cases, mental changes of pulmonary encephalopathy may occur. It initially presents as right heart failure, but left heart failure may also occur. Symptoms include shortness of breath, oliguria, increased cyanosis, upper abdominal distension and pain, etc.

2. Physical Examination of Cor Pulmonale

1) Compensatory stage of pulmonary and heart function: mainly signs of the primary disease. Signs related to cor pulmonale include an exaggerated second heart sound of the xiphoid process, obvious heart beats under the xiphoid process, weakened heart sounds, increased heart rate, cyanosis, and distension of the jugular veins.

2) Pulmonary and heart function decompensation stage: When the patient suffers from respiratory failure or pulmonary encephalopathy, the skin may become ruddy and moist, and the mental state may change, such as excitement, mental confusion, drowsiness, coma, etc. In heart failure, jugular venous distention, tricuspid systolic blowing murmur, liver enlargement and tenderness, positive hepatojugular reflux sign, edema and ascites may be seen.