CH 27

Which is the most important postoperative assessment parameter for a client recovering from cardiac surgery?

Inadequate tissue perfusion

A nurse is reevaluating a client receiving IV fibrinolytic therapy. Which finding requires immediate intervention by the nurse?

Altered level of consciousness

In the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD), medications are often ordered to control blood pressure in the client. Which of the following is a primary purpose of using beta-adrenergic blockers in the nursing management of CAD?

To decrease workload of the heart

When assessing a client who reports recent chest pain, the nurse obtains a thorough history. Which client statement most strongly suggests angina pectoris?

"The pain occurred while I was mowing the lawn."

A client is receiving morphine to relieve chest pain. The order is for 4 mg IV now. The pharmacy supplies morphine sulfate at 5 mg per mL. How many mL will the nurse give the client? Enter the correct number ONLY.

0.80

To be effective, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) must be performed within what time frame, beginning with arrival at the emergency department after diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI)?

60 minutes

A client in the emergency department reports squeezing substernal pain that radiates to the left shoulder and jaw. The client also complains of nausea, diaphoresis, and shortness of breath. What is the nurse's priority action?

Administer oxygen, attach a cardiac monitor, take vital signs, and administer sublingual nitroglycerin.

The nurse is caring for a client with coronary artery disease (CAD). What is an appropriate nursing action when evaluating a client with CAD?

Assess the characteristics of chest pain.

Which is a diagnostic marker for inflammation of vascular endothelium?

C-reactive protein (CRP)

A nurse is caring for a client in the cardiovascular intensive care unit following a coronary artery bypass graft. Which clinical finding requires immediate intervention by the nurse?

Central venous pressure reading of 1

When the postcardiac surgery client demonstrates restlessness, nausea, weakness, and peaked T waves, the nurse reviews the client's serum electrolytes, anticipating which abnormality?

Hyperkalemia

A client presents to the emergency room with characteristics of atherosclerosis. What characteristics would the client display?

Fatty deposits in the lumen of arteries

A nurse teaches a client with angina pectoris that he or she needs to take up to three sublingual nitroglycerin tablets at 5-minute intervals and immediately notify the health care provider if chest pain doesn't subside within 15 minutes. What symptoms may the client experience after taking the nitroglycerin?

Headache, hypotension, dizziness, and flushing.

A nurse is caring for a client after cardiac surgery. Upon assessment, the client appears restless and reports nausea and weakness. The client's ECG reveals peaked T waves. The nurse reviews the client's serum electrolytes, anticipating which abnormality?

Hyperkalemia

A new surgical patient who has undergone a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is receiving opioids for pain control. The nurse must be alert to adverse effects of opioids. Which of the following effects would be important for the nurse to document?

Hypotension

When the nurse notes that, after cardiac surgery, the client demonstrates low urine output (less than 25 mL/h) with high specific gravity (greater than 1.025), the nurse suspects which condition?

Inadequate fluid volume

Which discharge instruction for self-care should the nurse provide to a client who has undergone a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedure?

Monitor the site for bleeding or hematoma.

A client presents to the ED reporting anxiety and chest pain after shoveling heavy snow that morning. The client says that nitroglycerin has not been taken for months but upon experieincing this chest pain did take three nitroglycerin tablets. Although the pain has lessened, the client states, "They did not work all that well." The client shows the nurse the nitroglycerin bottle; the prescription was filled 12 months ago. The nurse anticipates which order by the physician?

Nitroglycerin SL

A patient in the recovery room after cardiac surgery begins to have extremity paresthesia, peaked T waves, and mental confusion. What type of electrolyte imbalance does the nurse suspect this patient is having?

Potassium

The nurse is caring for a client following a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). The nurse notes persistent oozing of bloody drainage from various puncture sites. The nurse anticipates that the physician will order which medication to neutralize the unfractionated heparin the client received?

Protamine sulfate

The client is prescribed nadolol for hypertension. What is the reason the nurse will teach the client not to stop taking the medication abruptly?

The abrupt stop can cause a myocardial infarction.

A client is admitted to the emergency department with chest pain and doesn't respond to nitroglycerin. The health care team obtains an electrocardiogram and administers I.V. morphine. The health care provider also considers administering alteplase. This thrombolytic agent must be administered how soon after onset of myocardial infarction (MI) symptoms?

Within 6 hours

A client with CAD thinks diltiazem (Cardizem) has been causing nausea. Diltiazem (Cardizem) is categorized as which type of drug?

calcium-channel blocker

A client returns for a follow-up visit to the cardiologist 4 days after a trip to the ED for sudden shortness of breath and abdominal pain. The nurse realizes the client had a myocardial infarction because the results from the blood work drawn in the hospital shows:

elevated troponin levels.

A nurse is monitoring the vital signs and blood results of a client who is receiving anticoagulation therapy. What does nurse identify as a major indication of concern?

hematocrit of 30%

The nurse is caring for a client who is having chest pain associated with a myocardial infarction (MI). What medication will the nurse administer intravenously to reduce pain and anxiety?

morphine sulfate

The nurse is admitting a client with an elevated creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme (CK-MB). What is the cause for the elevated isoenzyme?

myocardial necrosis

A client with a family history of coronary artery disease reports experiencing chest pain and palpitations during and after morning jogs. What would reduce the client's cardiac risk?

smoking cessation

A client was transferring a load of firewood in the morning and experienced a heaviness in the chest and dyspnea. The client arrives in the emergency department four hours after the heaviness and the health care provider diagnoses an anterior myocardial infarction (MI). What orders will the nurse anticipate?

sublingual nitroglycerin, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and telemetry

The nurse is assessing a client with severe angina pectoris and electrocardiogram changes in the emergency room. What is the most important cardiac marker for the client?

troponin