A therapist begins an exercise session with a patient diagnosed with left sided heart failure. Which of the following findings would most likely occur with the initiation of the exercise session?

In patients diagnosed with left-sided heart failure, one common response during the initiation of an exercise session is the experience of dyspnea, or shortness of breath. Left-sided heart failure often leads to the accumulation of fluid in the lungs due to increased pulmonary venous pressure. This condition can significantly impair gas exchange and lead to pulmonary congestion, making it difficult for the patient to breathe, especially during physical exertion.

When exercise is initiated, the demand for oxygen increases, which typically exacerbates any existing respiratory limitations. In such patients, the heart's compromised ability to pump effectively contributes to inadequate oxygen delivery to tissues, leading to feelings of breathlessness. Therefore, dyspnea becomes a common and expected response in individuals with heart failure who are beginning an exercise regimen.

Other choices present findings that are less likely or less relevant in this scenario. For instance, hyperoxemia refers to an excess of oxygen in the blood, which is not typically a concern in heart failure; bradycardia, or slowed heart rate, may not represent a typical response as patients may exhibit tachycardia instead due to the body's effort to maintain cardiac output during exercise; and pitting edema is a chronic sign of fluid retention rather than an immediate response to exercise