Which condition is synonymous with right ventricular failure?

Right ventricular failure is primarily associated with cor pulmonale, which refers specifically to the alteration in the structure and function of the right ventricle caused by a disorder of the respiratory system. In cor pulmonale, chronic lung disease leads to increased resistance in the pulmonary arteries, ultimately resulting in right ventricular hypertrophy and failure due to the right ventricle being unable to effectively pump blood into the pulmonary circulation.

Cor pulmonale directly encapsulates the consequences of right ventricular failure, primarily due to pulmonary conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, which impede normal right ventricular function. The condition highlights the link between lung pathology and right heart dysfunction.

While other choices like pulmonary hypertension and chronic heart failure can be related to right ventricular failure, they do not specifically denote the same process as cor pulmonale does in the context of right ventricular dysfunction due to pulmonary diseases. Cardiac tamponade primarily deals with pressure due to fluid accumulation around the heart affecting its ability to pump, rather than a failure of the right ventricle specifically due to lung disease.