In heart failure, what symptom occurs due to inadequate blood being pumped out of the left ventricle?

Shortness of breath is a common symptom in heart failure and arises primarily due to the inadequate pumping capability of the left ventricle. When the left ventricle fails to efficiently pump blood, it leads to a backup of blood into the pulmonary circulation. This increased pressure in the pulmonary vessels causes fluid to leak into the alveoli (the small air sacs in the lungs), resulting in pulmonary congestion. This congestion is the physiological basis for dyspnea, or shortness of breath, as the lungs become less effective at oxygen exchange, leading to the sensation of breathlessness.

The other symptoms, although they may be associated with heart failure, are not the primary result of the left ventricle’s impaired pumping action. Low blood pressure can occur due to various cardiovascular issues but is not a direct symptom of the left ventricle's failure to pump; palpitations may arise from arrhythmias or anxiety related to heart failure rather than the primary failure itself; and chest pain often has different underlying causes, such as myocardial ischemia, rather than being directly linked to left ventricular dysfunction. Thus, shortness of breath distinctly embodies the consequences of inadequate blood flow caused by left ventricular failure.