Congestive heart failure often presents with which findings?

• A. Shortness of breath when lying down, crackles, and dependent edema.
• B. Acute productive cough with fever.
• C. Chronic dry cough with hoarseness.
• D. Sudden onset unilateral leg swelling.

Answer: (A)

Congestive heart failure shows fluid overload and pulmonary congestion. Shortness of breath when lying down occurs because lying flat increases venous return to a failing heart, making breathing effort worse (orthopnea). The lungs often sound crackly as fluid accumulates in the alveoli (pulmonary edema). Dependent edema develops from venous congestion and gravity pulling fluid into the legs. These features together are classic for heart failure.

The other descriptions point to different problems: an acute productive cough with fever suggests infection such as pneumonia; a chronic dry cough with hoarseness isn’t typical of heart failure; sudden unilateral leg swelling raises concern for a deep vein thrombosis.