Which of the following best describes cor pulmonale?

• A. Left-sided heart failure due to valvular disease
• B. A type of right-sided heart failure caused by lung conditions, leading to right ventricle enlargement and failure.
• C. Pulmonary embolism
• D. Myocardial infarction

Answer: (B)

Cor pulmonale is a form of right-sided heart failure driven by lung disease. When chronic lung conditions (such as COPD, interstitial lung disease, or other diseases that cause hypoxia) lead to persistent low oxygen levels, the pulmonary vessels constrict and remodel, raising pulmonary vascular resistance. The right ventricle must pump against this higher afterload, so it undergoes hypertrophy to cope. Over time, the right ventricle can enlarge and eventually fail, producing the signs of right-sided heart failure like peripheral edema, jugular venous distension, and liver congestion. This process is linked to the lung condition itself and the resulting pulmonary hypertension, not to left-sided heart disease, a single pulmonary embolism, or a myocardial infarction.