What occurs when the right side of the heart fails?

When the right side of the heart fails, it is primarily responsible for pumping deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygenation. If the right heart fails, it is unable to effectively manage the volume of blood returning from the body, leading to a backup of blood in the systemic circulation. This results in increased pressure in the veins, which can subsequently cause fluid to accumulate in areas of the body such as the liver, abdomen, and lower extremities. This condition is often referred to as peripheral edema or congestive symptoms, which are hallmark signs of right heart failure.

The other options are related to cardiac function but do not accurately describe what happens specifically with right-sided heart failure. Increased blood flow to the lungs typically occurs when there is left-sided heart failure, not right. Constriction of blood vessels can happen as a compensatory mechanism but is not a direct consequence of right heart failure, and an increased heart rate might occur in response to heart failure to maintain cardiac output but does not specifically reflect the most immediate consequence of right heart failure.