EAQ Cardiovascular System Assessment

Which is the average blood pressure in the right atrium (RA)?

0 to 5 mm Hg

Which component will the nurse document upon reviewing the results of cardiac output (CO) and the resistance in the arterioles?

Blood pressure (BP)

Which cardiac output measurement will the nurse document to support a risk for decreased cardiac output in a patient with cardiovascular disease (CVD)?

3 L/min

Which mean arterial pressure (MAP) is the minimum necessary to maintain adequate blood flow through the coronary arteries?

60 mm Hg

Which description of chest discomfort will the nurse associate with anxiety?

A dull ache or a sharp stabbing pain

Which education regarding diagnostic cardiovascular testing is correct?

An alternative to injecting a medium into the coronary arteries is intravascular ultrasonography

Which follow-up care will the nurse provide for the patient after a cardiac catheterization?

Apply a soft knee brace

Which action by the nurse is essential before the patient undergoes cardiac catheterization?

Assessing for allergies to iodine-containing substances and contrast media

Which action performed by the nurse during a physical assessment demonstrates an understanding of the cardiovascular system?

Auscultates the aortic valve in the second intercostal space at the right sternal border.

Which information will the nurse provide when education a patient regarding preparation for an exercise ECG (stress test)?

Avoid caffeine-containing beverages on the day of the test

Which education regarding decreasing cardiac health risk factors will the nurse provide to a patient with a BMI of 30 kg/m2?

Avoid eating more calories than you can burn every day

Which cardiac valve maintains forward flow of blood through the heart by separating the left atrium (LA) from the left ventricle (LV)?

Bicuspid (mitral)

Which occurrence is related to a decreased number of pacemaker cells in an older adult?

Cardiac dysrhythmias and heart rates less than 60 BPM may occur

Which clinical manifestation will the nurse expect in a patient with suspected pericarditis?

Chest pain relieved by sitting upright Sudden-onset chest pain relieved by NSAIDs Pain the chest described as sharp or stabbing

Which finding will the nurse document when a patient reports a cramping sensation in the legs and buttocks after a walk that ceases after rest?

Claudication

Which finding on a cardiovascular physical assessment indicates chronic hypoxemia?

Clubbing of the fingers and toes

Which substance use will the nurse assess for when a patient is admitted for chest pain?

Cocaine

Which statement regarding heart contractility describes Starling's law of the heart?

Contraction is more forceful when the heart is filled more during diastole.

Which factor is not related to impedance?

Coronary vascular resistance

Which action will the nurse anticipate from the health care provider when treating a patient with heart failure who reports a 7.6 lb weight gain in the past week?

Daily weight monitoring

Which is a physiologic change of the cardiovascular system associated with aging?

Decrease in the number of pacemaker cells

Which will the nurse suspect when the patient in the emergency department states, "The pain is gone now; it was a false alarm. I need to get back to mowing the lawn."

Denial

Which side effect of amlodipine will the nurse include when providing patient education?

Dependent foot and ankle edema

Which phrase describes the purpose of a thallium imaging scan?

Detects the location and extent of acute or chronic myocardial infarctions

Which medication allergy is essential for a nurse to report before cardiovascular assessment when a patient is unable to perform an exercise-tolerance test on a treadmill?

Dipyridamole

Which diagnostic test consists of elevating the patient's head to 20 degrees and placing a small transducer on the patient's chest at the level of the fourth intercostal space near the left sternal border?

Echocardiography

Which characteristic would not be included in an educational session for a patient with a disorder affecting cardiac muscle cells?

Elasticity

Which symptom will the patient suffering from dyspnea on exertion and CHF likely report during the health history?

Fatigue

Which non cardiac factor will the nurse assess for in a patient complaining of palpitations?

Fatigue Insomnia Hyperthyroidism

Which physical assessment datum will the nurse document when calculating a patient's cardiac index?

Height Weight

Which patient's condition will the nurse suspect as the cause of increased blood pressure (BP) via stimulation of central chemoreceptors?

Hypercapnia

Which will the nurse identify in patient education as a modifiable risk factor for coronary heart disease?

Hypertension

Which class per the New York Heart Association's functional classification system will the nurse document when a patient with cardiovascular disease reports fatigue and palpitations with ordinary physical activity?

II

Which classification according to the New York Heart Association's functional classification of cardiovascular disability will the nurse document for a patient reporting fatigue, palpitations, and dyspnea after performing ordinary tasks?

II

Which class of the New York Heart Association's functional classification of cardiovascular disability will the nurse document when a patient's anginal syndrome is present even at rest and the discomfort is increased if any physical activity is undertaken?

IV

Which class will the nurse document for a patient with symptoms of cardiac insufficiency at rest when charting according to the New York Heart Association's functional classification of cardiovascular disability?

IV

Which change in the cardiovascular (CV) system secondary to aging results in decreased stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction, and cardiac output (CO) during exercise?

Increase in the size of the left ventricle (LV)

Which change in heart function will the nurse anticipate when a patient presents to the emergency department after a MVA and is extremely anxious with no apparent injuries?

Increased heart rate (HR) Increased myocardial contractility

Which cardiovascular changes related to aging does the nurse suspect when a patient is noted to have a drop in blood pressure (BP) by 20 mm Hg when changing from a sitting to standing position?

Ineffective baroreceptors

Which portion of the heart receives blood supply by the right coronary artery (RCA)?

Inferior portion of the left ventricle (LV)

Which class of medications will the nurse expect to administer to an older patient with heart failure in an effort to maximize cardiac performance by increasing the ventricular contractility?

Inotropic agents

Which statement will the nurse include when teaching about the structure of the heart?

It is a fist-sized muscular organ located in the mediastinum between the lungs.

Which artery, if blocked, would lead to death of tissue in the anterior wall of the heart after a myocardial infarction?

Left anterior descending artery

Which education will the nurse provide to a patient with mitral valve prolapse when describing the purpose of the mitral valve?

Located between the left atrium and left ventricle, it presents blood from flowing back into the atrium during systole

Which patient condition will the nurse anticipate resulting in reduced pulse pressure?

Mitral stenosis

Which will the nurse suspect when the patient presents with a complaint of a sudden, intense stabbing chest pain early in the morning while at rest?

Myocardial infarction (MI)

Which class of medication will the nurse prepare to administer when a patient presents to the emergency department with chest pain diagnosed as angina pectoris?

Nitrates

Which action will the nurse delegate to trained and experienced AP working in the cardiac catheterization laboratory?

Obtain patient vital signs and a 12-lead ECG

Which clinical manifestation will be documented by the nurse when the patient reports an inability to sleep well at night because of difficulty breathing and the need for two or three pillows at night to promote sleep?

Orthopnea

Which modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) will the nurse address in patient education?

Patient's limited physical activity BMI greater than 30 Patient's 5-pack-year smoking history

Which condition will the nurse suspect when the patient reports an intermittent, sharp, stabbing pain that usually spreads to the left side or back and is relieved when sitting upright?

Pericarditis

Which receptors are stimulated by hypoxemia?

Peripheral chemoreceptors

Which patient is appropriate for the RN to assign the LPN/LVN with several years of experience in the ICU?

Peripheral vascular disease and needs assessment of the ankle-brachial index

Which factor influences the activity of the cardiovascular (CV) system?

Physical activity Body temperature Emotional behaviors

Which condition does the patient on a telemetry unit scheduled for a EPS (electrophysiologic study) likely to have?

Post-sudden cardiac arrest

Which laboratory result in a patient admitted with heart failure will the nurse report to the health care provider?

Potassium 3.0 mEq/L

Which cardiac parameter will the nurse document as the degree of myocardial fiber stretch at the end of diastole, as determined by the amount of blood returning from the venous system to the right side of the heart and the pulmonary system to the left side of the heart?

Preload

Which does the nurse recognize as being the function of the semilunar valves?

Preventing blood from flowing back into the ventricles

Which structure of the heart receives deoxygenated venous blood and blood from the heart muscle?

Right atrium (RA)

Which characteristic clinical manifestation will the nurse document in the patient with peripheral cyanosis?

Rubor (dusky redness) in a dependent foot

Which portion of the heart receives blood from the left circumflex branch (LCX) of the left main artery?

Sinoatrial node Left Atrium (LA) Atrioventricular (AV) node

Which will the nurse document as a risk factor related to cardiovascular disease?

Smoking Elevated C-reactive protein levels

Which description of the quality and severity of chest pain will lead the nurse to suspect angina?

Squeezing, viselike

Which presenting symptoms in a patient in the emergency department are most concerning to the nurse as related to myocardial infarction (MI)?

Sternal pressure and diaphoresis

Which receptors in the right atrium stimulate the sympathetic nervous system to cause peripheral blood vessel constriction when patients are dehydrated, leading to difficulty in gaining peripheral IV access?

Stretch receptors

Which term will the nurse use to describe the amount of blood ejected by the left ventricle (LV) with each cardiac contraction when teaching a patient with cardiovascular disease about the condition?

Stroke volume (SV)

Which symptom will the nurse expect to document for a patient admitted with pericarditis?

Substernal chest pain described as sharp and stabbing

Which statement indicates an understanding regarding the factors that increase myocardial contractility?

Sympathetic stimulation

Which action is most appropriate for the nurse to take when caring for an older patient who is suspected of having decreased sensitivity in baroreceptors?

Teaching the patient to change positions slowly

What education will the nurse provide the patient regarding increased fluid intake after a cardiac catheterization?

The dye used causes an osmotic diuresis, which means you will have more urine output, which can lead to renal impairment. Additional fluids will help prevent this.

Which finding will the nurse document as a bruit during cardiac assessment?

The presence of swishing sounds

Which statement made by the nurse during patient education regarding an ECG is correct?

The technician will put lubricant on a transducer and rub this on your chest

Which statement by the nurse when teaching a patient about the purpose of electrophysiology (EPS) is correct?

This test evaluates you for potentially fatal cardiac rhythms.

Which disorder or condition will the nurse suspect when noting a bounding or hyperkinetic pulse on assessment of the patient?

Thyrotoxicosis

Which description would the nurse document as fatigue in a patient with cardiovascular disease?

Tiredness or weariness resulting from activity

Which is an essential nursing action when assessing a patient with mitral stenosis who is to undergo a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)?

Validate that the patient has remained NPO

Which complication will the nurse anticipate in a patient with a magnesium level of 1.0 mEq/L?

Ventricular dysrhythmia

Which education provided by the nurse to a patient undergoing cardiac catheterization is essential?

You will need to keep your affected leg straight for 2 to 6 hours after the procedure