SHERPATH: Acute Coronary Syndrome

Which clinical manifestation may be noted in a person diagnosed with atheromas of the coronary arteries? A. Anemia B. Ischemia C. Tissue necrosis D. Hyperglycemia

B. Ischemia Atheromas limit the size of the arterial lumen and can decrease RBC movement and decrease oxygen to the cardiac tissue.

Which is an appropriate action for a person to take at the onset of angina pain? A. Eat a snack B. Sit down and rest C. Go for a walk D. Document the occurrence

B. Sit down and rest It is important for the person to rest when chest pain occurs. Rest decreases the demand for oxygen by the heart and allows the coronary vessels to relax.

Which individuals are at an increased risk for an episode of angina? Select all that apply. A. A middle-aged person with severe anemia B. A person with pulmonary disease who smokes C. An elderly person with low serum cholesterol levels D. A person with atherosclerosis who runs up many stairs E. A middle-aged person with a lower respiratory infection

A. A middle-aged person with severe anemia A middle-aged person with severe anemia is at risk for angina due to decreased oxygen carrying capacity of red blood cells. B. A person with pulmonary disease who smokes A person with pulmonary disease who continues to smoke may have an angina attack due to a decreased oxygen supply. D. A person with atherosclerosis who runs up many stairs A person with pre-existing heart disease who puts an extra workload on the heart by running up the stairs may develop an angina attack.

Which would a pathologist expect to find in the composition of an atheroma removed from an atherosclerotic artery? Select all that apply. A. Fibrin B. Lipids C. Platelets D. Albumin E. Cellular debris

A. Fibrin Fibrin is a component of an atheroma. B. Lipids Lipids are a part of an atheroma. C. Platelets Platelets adhere to the plaque to form the atheroma. D. Cellular debris Cellular debris is part of the makeup of an atheroma.

Which clinical manifestations are associated with angina pectoris? Select all that apply. A. Jaw pain B. Chest pain C. Confusion D. Diaphoresis E. Right arm pain

A. Jaw pain A person having an angina attack may present with jaw pain. B. Chest pain Chest pain or pressure is a sign of a person having an angina attack. D. Diaphoresis Diaphoresis, or excessive perspiration, is a common assessment finding for a person having an angina attack.

Which clinical manifestations are commonly associated with angina pectoris? Select all that apply. A. Nausea B. Chest pain C. Diaphoresis D. Constipation E. Cardiac arrhythmias

A. Nausea Nausea occurs in people with angina pectoris pain. B. Chest pain Chest pain occurs when a person has angina pectoris. C. Diaphoresis Diaphoresis is common in people experiencing angina.

Which is true regarding the prevalence of acute coronary syndrome? Select all that apply. A. Someone dies every minute from acute coronary syndrome. B. Acute coronary syndrome causes approximately 50,000 deaths per year. C. Someone has an acute coronary syndrome episode every 25 seconds. D. 100,000 people are hospitalized every year due to acute coronary syndrome. E. Acute coronary syndrome is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

A. Someone dies every minute from acute coronary syndrome. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a person dies every minute from acute coronary syndrome. C. Someone has an acute coronary syndrome episode every 25 seconds. Acute coronary syndrome events occur in the United States at a rate of one every 25 seconds.

Which action should an individual take to relieve anginal pain? A. Take a nitroglycerin tablet. B. Decrease emotional stress. C. Document what caused the pain. D. Exercise moderately for 5-10 minutes.

A. Take a nitroglycerin tablet. Nitroglycerin is used to treat anginal pain through its action as a vasodilator.

Which finding indicates that an individual has sustained a myocardial infarction as opposed to angina? A. The individual has elevated cardiac enzymes. B. The pain decreases when the individual rests. C. The individual has chest pain that lasts for 5 minutes. D. The individual reports that the chest pain is intermittent.

A. The individual has elevated cardiac enzymes. One way to diagnose a myocardial infarction is the person will have elevated cardiac enzymes. This does not occur with angina.

Which findings may indicate a person is experiencing angina pain? Select all that apply. A. The pain is intermittent. B. The pain is relieved with rest. C. The pain is localized to the chest. D. The pain radiates to the abdomen. E. The pain is relieved with nitroglycerin.

A. The pain is intermittent. Angina chest pain is intermittent. B. The pain is relieved with rest. Angina pain is relieved with rest. E. The pain is relieved with nitroglycerin. The pain from angina is relieved with nitroglycerin.

Which are etiologies of myocardial infarction? Select all that apply. A. Thrombus B. Embolus C. Atheroma D. Arrhythmia E. Diabetes mellitus

A. Thrombus A thrombus can occlude a blood vessel and cause a myocardial infarction. B. Embolus An embolus can break off from a thrombus and precipitate a myocardial infarction. C. Atheroma An atheroma can narrow the lumen of a coronary artery and lead to a myocardial infarction.

Which activities may cause angina pain to occur? Select all that apply. A. Watching a sad movie in the theatre B. A heated argument with a co-worker C. Reading an interesting fictional novel D. Mowing the lawn in the summer heat E. Running down the street to catch a bus

B. A heated argument with a co-worker Emotional stress can precipitate an angina attack. Having a heated argument can be emotionally stressful. D. Mowing the lawn in the summer heat Cutting the grass in hot weather places a physical stress on the body and can cause angina pain. E. Running down the street to catch a bus The physical stress of running down the street to catch a bus may cause angina pain.

Which person is at highest risk of developing arteriosclerosis? A. A 40-year-old man B. A man with diabetes mellitus C. A person who eats a high fat diet D. Someone with an elevated level of cholesterol

B. A man with diabetes mellitus A person with diabetes mellitus is at higher risk for arteriosclerosis due to vascular changes in arteries from the disease process.

Which term describes plaque buildup in the arterial lumen? A. Arteriosclerosis B. Atherosclerosis C. Unstable angina D. Coronary artery disease

B. Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis is a disorder that results from plaque buildup in the arterial lumen.

Which factors increase low-density lipoproteins and thus increase the risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS)? Select all that apply. A. Unstable angina B. Diabetes mellitus C. Cigarette smoking D. Sedentary lifestyle E. ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI)

B. Diabetes mellitus Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus can increase low-density lipoproteins. C. Cigarette smoking Cigarette smoking causes vasoconstriction and it increases low-density lipoproteins. D. Sedentary lifestyle Exercise decreases low-density lipoproteins. A person with a sedentary lifestyle that does not exercise will have increased low-density lipoprotein levels.

Which are considered acute coronary syndrome (ACS) diseases? Select all that apply. A. Atherosclerosis B. Unstable angina C. Cardiac arrhythmias D. ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) E. Non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)

B. Unstable angina Unstable angina is a type of acute coronary syndrome. D. ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) An ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) is considered a form of acute coronary syndrome. E. Non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) A non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is one of the ACS disorders.

A person reports chest pain that is intermittent. Testing reveals the chest pain is caused by vasospasm. Which type of angina is described by this scenario? A. Stable angina B. Variant angina C. Unstable angina D. Exertional angina

B. Variant angina Variant angina is brought about by vasospasms and is intermittent.

Which is a common clinical manifestation following a myocardial infarction? A. Jaundiced skin B. Atherosclerosis C. Cardiac arrhythmias D. Continuous left leg pain

C. Cardiac arrhythmias Cardiac arrhythmias often happen as a result of a myocardial infarction, related to ischemia, reperfusion or irritation of the myocardium leading to a rhythm dysfunction

Which is true of a person with a history of cardiac disease and a new diagnosis of arteriosclerosis? A. The person should be hospitalized for treatment. B. The person will develop acute coronary syndrome. C. There is a high risk for organ ischemia in the person. D. Plaque lining exists in the inside of the arterial lumens of the person.

C. There is a high risk for organ ischemia in the person. The person with arteriosclerosis is at risk for organ ischemia due to hardening of the coronary arteries and narrowing of the vessel lumen.

Which diagnosis is considered a type of acute coronary syndrome (ACS)? A. Arteriosclerosis B. Atherosclerosis C. Unstable angina D. Cardiac arrhythmias

C. Unstable angina Unstable angina falls under the umbrella of disorders that is considered acute coronary syndrome.

Which are modifiable risk factors that lower the risk of developing acute coronary syndrome (ACS)? Select all that apply. A. Age B. Gender C. Weight D. Sedentary lifestyle E. Cigarette smoking F. Diabetes mellitus

C. Weight A person should strive to maintain a normal weight and avoid obesity. This is a risk factor that a person can modify. D. Sedentary lifestyle A person should maintain an active lifestyle to decrease the risk for ACS. A sedentary lifestyle is a modifiable risk factor. E. Cigarette smoking A person can choose to not smoke. Cigarette smoking is a modifiable risk factor. F. Diabetes mellitus Through maintaining a desirable weight and incorporating exercise into their life, individuals can prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus. This is a modifiable risk factor.

A person arrives at the emergency room and reports chest pain. Which additional manifestation helps to determine if the pain is cardiac in origin? A. Pain radiates down the leg B. Pain worsens when sleeping C. Pain is reported in the right arm D. Pain is relieved with nitroglycerin

D. Pain is relieved with nitroglycerin Pain that is relieved with nitroglycerin is indicative of angina chest pain.

Which lifestyle factor may increase the incidence of angina pectoris in an individual? A. Does not smoke B. Eats a low-fat diet C. Rides a bike every day D. Manages a busy restaurant

D. Manages a busy restaurant A person who is a manager is usually under a lot of stress. This places the person at risk for angina pectoris.