In patients with congestive heart failure, intravenous fluid administration carries a risk of which complication?

• A. Fluid overload
• B. Hypovolemia
• C. Electrolyte imbalance only
• D. Pulmonary embolism

Answer: (A)

In congestive heart failure, the heart’s reduced pumping ability means it can’t handle extra volume easily. Giving fluids intravenously raises the circulating volume (preload), and a failing heart cannot accommodate that increase. The result is higher venous pressures and fluid backing up into the lungs and tissues, leading to fluid overload and potentially pulmonary edema. Clinically you’d see weight gain, edema, crackles on lung exam, and shortness of breath. This is why IV fluids are used with great caution in CHF, with a focus on avoiding overload and sometimes using diuretics instead. Electrolyte shifts can occur but aren’t the primary risk, and a pulmonary embolism isn’t a direct consequence of IV fluid administration in this context.