Which assessment finding would NOT indicate high preload in a patient with CHF?

In the context of congestive heart failure (CHF), high preload refers to an increased volume of blood returning to the heart, leading to an overdistended heart and symptoms of fluid overload. Each of the assessment findings mentioned is typically associated with elevated preload and fluid retention, except for one.

Edema, while commonly observed in patients with heart failure, can occur due to various reasons such as venous insufficiency, kidney disease, or other non-cardiovascular conditions. Therefore, it is not a specific indicator of high preload in CHF. In contrast, course crackles, shortness of breath, and jugular venous distension are cardinal signs of fluid overload directly related to elevated preload in heart failure. Course crackles often indicate pulmonary congestion, shortness of breath arises from fluid accumulation in the lungs, and jugular venous distension reflects elevated central venous pressure due to high preload.

Thus, edema alone does not definitively reflect high preload in the context of CHF, making it the correct answer to the question regarding which finding would NOT indicate high preload.