Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) Practice Test

Enlargement of the spleen and liver, known as splenomegaly and hepatomegaly respectively, is often associated with venous congestion. This condition occurs when there is an increased pressure in the venous system, which can lead to blood pooling in organs such as the liver and spleen.

When the heart is unable to pump effectively, as seen in conditions like congestive heart failure, this leads to increased pressures in the veins that drain these organs. As a result, the liver and spleen may become engorged with blood, causing them to enlarge. This is a common physiological response to impaired venous return and can result from various cardiac or hepatic issues.

On the other hand, conditions like ischemic heart disease and coronary artery disease pertain more specifically to the heart's blood supply and muscle health, and while they may eventually lead to congestive heart failure, they do not directly cause the localized enlargement of the spleen and liver themselves. Myocardial infarction refers to heart tissue damage due to inadequate blood supply, which can also lead to heart failure, but again, it is the heart's failure to pump effectively that leads to venous congestion, rather than the infarction itself directly causing splenome