Which of the following signs is commonly observed in patients with right-sided heart failure?

• A. Dependent edema.
• B. Pulmonary edema.
• C. Flat jugular veins.
• D. Labored breathing.

Answer: (A)

Right-sided heart failure causes blood to back up into the systemic venous circulation. That extra pressure in the veins pushes fluid out into the interstitial spaces, especially in gravity-dependent areas like the legs, leading to dependent edema. This is a classic sign of right-sided congestion. By contrast, fluid backing up into the lungs—pulmonary edema—occurs with left-sided heart failure, so it’s not the typical feature of right-sided failure. Flat jugular veins reflect low central venous pressure and are not expected in right-sided failure, where you’d usually see elevated jugular venous pressure (jugular venous distension). Labored breathing points more toward pulmonary congestion from left-sided (or combined) failure. So dependent edema best fits the presentation of right-sided heart failure.