Which sign is more characteristic of right-sided heart failure?

• A. Dyspnea
• B. Peripheral edema
• C. Orthopnea
• D. Crackles

Answer: (B)

Right-sided heart failure mainly causes blood to back up in the systemic venous system, leading to fluid buildup in the body’s tissues. The most characteristic sign is peripheral edema, especially in the legs, because the increased venous pressure pushes fluid into dependent tissues. Signs such as dyspnea, orthopnea, and crackles point to fluid in the lungs from left-sided failure (pulmonary congestion) rather than to systemic venous congestion. While dyspnea and orthopnea reflect pulmonary edema and crackles indicate fluid in the airways, these are less typical of right-sided failure. So peripheral edema best represents the common, defining feature of right-sided heart failure.