You are called to a nursing home for a patient with swelling to her legs. Upon arrival, you find a 76-year-old patient sitting in a wheelchair. Assessment confirms pitting edema to both lower legs. You are able to palpate a dorsalis pedal pulse bilaterally. Her skin is warm, pink, and dry. Her lungs are clear bilaterally. Which of the following conditions do you suspect?

Edema to the legs or sacrum is often a result of right-sided congestive heart failure. There may also be jugular vein distention and ascites present as well. The most common cause of right-sided heart failure is left-sided heart failure; therefore, you may also note signs and symptoms of left-sided heart failure such as a dry, hacking cough, or coughing up pink frothy sputum, shortness of breath, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and fatigue.