What changes are typically found with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction or failure?

In cases of left ventricular dysfunction or failure, several physiological changes occur that significantly affect the heart's ability to pump blood effectively. The correct answer highlights three key changes: decreased systemic blood pressure, increased pulmonary artery wedge pressure, and decreased cardiac output.

When the left ventricle fails, it cannot pump blood efficiently into the systemic circulation. This inefficiency leads to a decrease in cardiac output, which is the volume of blood the heart pumps per minute. As cardiac output drops, the body may not receive enough blood to meet its metabolic needs, resulting in systemic blood pressure falling.

Concurrently, the failure of the left ventricle causes a backlog of blood into the pulmonary circulation. This congestion leads to an increase in pulmonary artery wedge pressure, which is a measure of left atrial pressure. Elevated wedge pressure reflects the increased fluid pressure in the pulmonary circuit due to impaired left ventricular function, resulting in symptoms such as pulmonary congestion and shortness of breath.

The combination of decreased systemic blood pressure and increased pulmonary artery wedge pressure signals that the heart is struggling to maintain effective circulation, which is characteristic of left ventricular dysfunction or failure. Thus, the outlined changes accurately represent the physiological state associated with this condition.