What does CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (CIA) mean? Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) The Central Intelligence Agency is one of the principal intelligence-gathering agencies of the United States federal government. An executive agency, it reports to the Director of National Intelligence.
If heart failure progresses, the apnea may be so acute that a person, unable to breathe, may awaken from sleep in panic. Diagnosis. Doctors can often make a preliminary diagnosis of heart failure by medical history and careful physical examination. A thorough medical history may identify risks for heart failure that include:
Common elements in the history of a patient with heart failure are prior episodes of heart failure, lower extremity edema, weight gain, increasing dyspnea with exertion, sleeping elevated by multiple pillows (orthopnea) and nighttime waking with shortness of breath (paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea).