What medication is indicated for a patient with left-sided heart failure?

• A. Amlodipine
• B. Digoxin
• C. Furosemide
• D. Lisinopril

Answer: (C)

In left-sided heart failure, fluid backs up into the lungs, causing congestion and shortness of breath. The quickest way to relieve these symptoms is to remove excess volume from the body.

Furosemide is a loop diuretic that blocks the Na-K-2Cl transporter in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. This promotes rapid diuresis, lowers preload, and reduces pulmonary capillary pressure, which directly eases pulmonary edema and dyspnea. Because of this immediate symptom relief, it is the most appropriate choice for a patient presenting with congestive features of left-sided heart failure.

Other drugs have roles in heart failure but not for rapid relief of pulmonary congestion. Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker that is not used to treat systolic heart failure as a primary therapy. Digoxin can help some patients with heart failure (especially with atrial fibrillation) but does not address acute fluid overload. Lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) improves long-term outcomes and mortality, but its main benefit is disease-modifying rather than rapid relief of congestion.