brunner 30: Assessment and Management of Patients With Vascular Disorders and Problems of Peripheral Circulation

***A nurse is teaching a client who will soon be discharged with a prescription for warfarin (Coumadin). Which statement should the nurse include in discharge teaching?

"Don't take aspirin while you're taking warfarin." Because aspirin decreases platelet aggregation and interferes with clotting, concomitant use of aspirin with warfarin, an anticoagulant, may lead to excessive anticoagulant effects — and bleeding. Warfarin therapy is most effective with consistent dietary intake of vitamin K. Increase intake of foods rich in vitamin K, such as broccoli, could change the client's warfarin dose requirements. Although warfarin interrupts the normal clotting cycle, it doesn't dissolve clots that have already formed. The client should take warfarin exactly as ordered to maintain the desired level of anticoagulation. Doubling a dose could cause bleeding.

The nurse explains to a patient that the primary cause of a varicose vein is:

An incompetent venous valve. Varicose veins are abnormally dilated, tortuous, superficial veins caused by incompetent venous valves.

A client is recovering from surgical repair of a dissecting aortic aneurysm. Which assessment findings indicate possible bleeding or recurring dissection?

Blood pressure of 82/40 mm Hg and heart rate of 125 beats/minute Assessment findings that indicate possible bleeding or recurring dissection include hypotension with reflex tachycardia (as evidenced by a blood pressure of 82/40 mm Hg and a heart rate of 125 beats/minute), decreased urine output, and unequal or absent peripheral pulses. Hematuria, increased urine output, and bradycardia aren't signs of bleeding from aneurysm repair or recurring dissection.

***Health teaching includes advising patients on ways to reduce PAD. The nurse should always emphasize that the strongest risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic lesions is:

Cigarette smoking. Nicotine decreases blood flow, increases heart rate and blood pressure, and increases the risk for clot formation by increasing platelet aggregation. Smokers have a four-fold higher risk of developing pain from arterial disease than nonsmokers. Carbon monoxide, produced by burning tobacco, combines with hemoglobin more readily than oxygen, thus depriving tissues of oxygen.

A client is hospitalized for repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The nurse must be alert for signs and symptoms of aneurysm rupture and thus looks for which of the following?

Constant, intense back pain and falling blood pressure Indications of a rupturing abdominal aortic aneurysm include constant, intense back pain; falling blood pressure; and decreasing hematocrit.

As the clinic nurse caring for a client with varicose veins, what is an appropriate nursing action for this client?

Demonstrate how to apply and remove elastic support stockings. The nurse demonstrates how to apply and remove elastic support stockings. Varicose veins do not require the nurse to demonstrate how to self-administer IV infusions. Varicose veins require the client to elevate legs regularly and perform leg exercises. However, it does not involve bleeding or skin lesions.

Which is a characteristic of arterial insufficiency?

Diminished or absent pulses

The nurse assessing a client who has arterial insufficiency of the legs and an ulcer on the left great toe would expect to find which characteristic?

Diminished or absent pulses Occlusive arterial disease impairs blood flow and can reduce or obliterate palpable pulsations in the extremities. A diminished or absent pulse is a characteristic of arterial insufficiency.

A nurse who provides care in a busy postsurgical unit recognizes that patients are at particular risk of thromboembolism during their immediate postoperative recovery. Which of the following interventions best facilitates venous blood flow and the prevention of thrombosis?

Early ambulation Early ambulation is most effective in preventing venous stasis. Stockings and compression devices are clinically useful interventions for patients who are unable to ambulate, but early mobilization is preferred. Warfarin is not used for the general prevention of DVT in postsurgical patients.

Which of the following are complications of percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTA)? Select all that apply.

Hematoma Embolization Dissection of the vessel Bleeding Stent migration Complications from PTA include hematoma, embolization dissection of the vessel, bleeding, intimal damage (dissection), and stent migration.

Which sign or symptom suggests that a client's abdominal aortic aneurysm is extending?

Increased abdominal and back pain Pain in the abdomen and back signify that the aneurysm is pressing downward on the lumbar nerve root and is causing more pain. The pulse rate would increase with aneurysm extension. Chest pain radiating down the arm would indicate myocardial infarction. Blood pressure would decrease with aneurysm extension, and the respiratory rate may not be affected.

A nurse is developing a nursing care plan for a client with peripheral arterial disease. Which of the following will be the priority nursing diagnosis?

Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion The goal is to increase arterial blood supply to the extremities; the priority nursing diagnosis is Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion related to compromised circulation.

***A client is diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Which nursing diagnosis should receive highest priority at this time?

Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion related to venous congestion Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion related to venous congestion takes highest priority because venous inflammation and clot formation impede blood flow in a client with DVT. Impaired gas exchange related to increased blood flow is incorrect because impaired gas exchange is related to decreased, not increased, blood flow. Excess fluid volume related to peripheral vascular disease is inappropriate because there's no evidence that this client has an excess fluid volume. Risk for injury related to edema may be warranted but is secondary to ineffective tissue perfusion.

A client is diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Which nursing diagnosis should receive highest priority at this time?

Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion related to venous congestion Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion related to venous congestion takes highest priority because venous inflammation and clot formation impede blood flow in a client with DVT. Impaired gas exchange related to increased blood flow is incorrect because impaired gas exchange is related to decreased, not increased, blood flow. Excess fluid volume related to peripheral vascular disease is inappropriate because there's no evidence that this client has an excess fluid volume. Risk for injury related to edema may be warranted but is secondary to ineffective tissue perfusion.

A nurse is caring for a client following an arterial vascular bypass graft in the leg. What should the nurse plan to assess over the next 24 hours?

Peripheral pulses every 15 minutes after surgery The primary objective in the postoperative period is to maintain adequate circulation through the arterial repair. Pulses, Doppler assessment, color and temperature, capillary refill, and sensory and motor function of the affected extremity are checked and compared with those of the other extremity; these values are recorded initially every 15 minutes and then at progressively longer intervals if the client's status remains stable.

***A client with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complains that his hands become pale, blue, and painful when exposed to the cold. What disease should the nurse cite as an explanation for these signs and symptoms?

Raynaud's disease Raynaud's disease results from reduced blood flow to the extremities when exposed to cold or stress. It's commonly associated with connective tissue disorders such as SLE. Signs and symptoms include pallor, coldness, numbness, throbbing pain, and cyanosis. Peripheral vascular disease results from a reduced blood supply to the tissues. It occurs in the arterial or venous system. Build-up of plaque in the vessels or changes in the vessels results in reduced blood flow, causing pain, edema, and hair loss in the affected extremity. Arterial occlusive disease is the obstruction or narrowing of the lumen of the aorta and its major branches that interrupts blood flow to the legs and feet, causing pain and coolness. Buerger's disease is an inflammatory, nonatheromatous occlusive disease that causes segmental lesions and subsequent thrombus formation in arteries, resulting in decreased blood flow to the feet and legs.

***A physician admits a client to the health care facility for treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. When planning this client's care, which goal should the nurse keep in mind as she formulates interventions?

Stabilizing heart rate and blood pressure and easing anxiety For a client with an aneurysm, nursing interventions focus on preventing aneurysm rupture by stabilizing heart rate and blood pressure. Easing anxiety also is important because anxiety and increased stimulation may raise the heart rate and boost blood pressure, precipitating aneurysm rupture. The client with an abdominal aortic aneurysm is typically hypertensive, so the nurse should take measures to lower blood pressure, such as administering antihypertensive agents, as ordered, to prevent aneurysm rupture. To sustain major organ perfusion, the client should maintain a mean arterial pressure of at least 60 mm Hg. Although the nurse must assess each client's mobility individually, most clients need bed rest when initially attempting to gain stability.

A nurse is providing education about the prevention of arterial constriction to a client with peripheral arterial disease. Which of the following includes priority information the nurse would give to the client?

Stop smoking. Nicotine from tobacco products causes vasospasm and can thereby dramatically reduce circulation to the extremities. When the client elevates the feet above the heart level, the heart must work against gravity to supply blood to the feet. Antiembolytic stocking are helpful for venous return to the heart, but constriction is not helpful for lack of arterial blood flow. Crossing the legs for more than a few minutes at a time compresses arteries and decreases blood supply to the legs and feet.

A nurse and physician are preparing to visit a hospitalized client with perepheral arterial disease. As you approach the client's room, the physician asks if the client has reported any intermittent claudication. The client has reported this symptom. The nurse explains to the physician which of the following details?

The client can walk about 50 feet before getting pain in the right lower leg. Intermittent claudication is caused by the inability of the arterial system to provide adequate blood flow to the tissues when increased demands are made for oxygen and nutrients during exercise. Pain is then experienced. When the client rests and decreases demands, the pain subsides. The client can then walk the same distance and repeat the process.

What symptoms should the nurse assess for in a client with lymphedema as a result of impaired nutrition to the tissue?

Ulcers and infection in the edematous area In a client with lymphedema, the tissue nutrition is impaired because of the stagnation of lymphatic fluid, leading to ulcers and infection in the edematous area. Later, the skin also appears thickened, rough, and discolored. Scarring does not occur in clients with lymphedema. Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes.

***The nurse teaches the client with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) to refrain from smoking because nicotine

causes vasospasm. Nicotine causes vasospasm and can thereby dramatically reduce circulation to the extremities. Nicotine has stimulant effects. Nicotine does not suppress cough; rather, smoking irritates the bronchial tree, causing coughing. Nicotine does not cause diuresis.

The term for a diagnostic test that involves injection of a contrast media into the venous system through a dorsal vein in the foot is

contrast phlebography. When a thrombus exists, an x-ray image will disclose an unfilled segment of a vein. Air plethysmography quantifies venous reflux and calf muscle pump ejection. In lymphangiography, contrast media are injected into the lymph system. In a lymphoscintigraphy, a radioactive-labeled colloid is injected into the lymph system.

The most important reason for a nurse to encourage a client with peripheral vascular disease to initiate a walking program is that this form of exercise:

decreases venous congestion. Regular walking is the best way to decrease venous congestion because using the leg muscles as a pump helps return blood to the heart. Regular exercise also aids in stress reduction and weight reduction and increases the formation of HDLs — which are all beneficial to a client with peripheral vascular disease. However, these changes don't have as significant an effect on the client's condition as decreasing venous congestion.