Medsurg Chapter 29 prepU
A client has been diagnosed with systolic heart failure. What percentage will the nurse expect the patient's ejection fraction to be?
30% The ejection fraction is normal in diastolic heart failure, but severely reduced in systolic heart failure.The normal EF is 55%-65%. An EF of 5% is not life sustaining and an EF of 30% is about half the normal percentage.
A client has had an echocardiogram to measure ejection fracton. The nurse explains that ejection fraction is the percentage of blood the left ventricle ejects upon contraction. What is the typical percentage of blood a healthy heart ejects?
55%
A total artificial heart (TAH) is an electrically powered pump that circulates blood into the pulmonary artery and the aorta, thus replacing the functions of both the right and left ventricles. What makes it different from an LVAD?
An LVAD only supports a failing left ventricle. A TAH is considered an extension of LVADs, which only support a failing left ventricle. TAHs are targeted for clients who are unlikely to live more than a month without further interventions.
The nurse is performing a respiratory assessment for a patient in left-sided heart failure. What does the nurse understand is the best determinant of the patient's ventilation and oxygenation status?
Arterial blood gases In left-sided heart failure, arterial blood gases may be obtained to assess ventilation and oxygenation.
Which diagnostic study is usually performed to confirm the diagnosis of heart failure?
Echocardiogram An echocardiogram is usually performed to confirm the diagnosis of heart failure. ECG, serum electrolytes, and a BUN are usually completed during the initial workup.
A client is already being treated for hypertension. The doctor is concerned about the potential for heart failure, and has the client return for regular check-ups. What does hypertension have to do with heart failure?
Hypertension causes the heart's chambers to enlarge and weaken.
A client has been diagnosed with right-sided heart failure based on symptomology. The cardiologist will confirm this suspicion through diagnostics. Which diagnostics are used to reveal right ventricular enlargement? Select all that apply.
electrocardiogram chest radiograph echocardiography
The nurse is assessing a newly admitted client with chest pain. What medical disorder is most likely causing the client to have jugular vein distention?
heart failure *Elevated venous pressure, exhibited as jugular vein distention, indicates the heart's failure to pump.* Jugular vein distention isn't a symptom of abdominal aortic aneurysm or pneumothorax. If severe enough, an MI can progress to heart failure, but an MI alone doesn't cause jugular vein distention.
A client is receiving captopril for heart failure. During the nurse's assessment, what sign indicates that the medication therapy is ineffective?
peripheral edema Peripheral edema is a sign of fluid volume excess and worsening heart failure. A skin rash, dry cough, and postural hypotension are adverse reactions to captopril, but they don't indicate that therapy is ineffective.
The nurse is administering sublingual nitroglycerin to a client with chest pain. What action will the nurse take after administering two sublingual tablets if the client continues with chest pain and has a blood pressure of 120/82 mm Hg?
Administer the third sublingual nitroglycerin tablet. The nurse will need to administer the third sublingual nitroglycerin tablet. Nitroglycerin is given as three doses for chest pain as the client's blood pressure can tolerate it. The health care provider will be notified after three tablets. The nurse should not hold any further treatment if the client has chest pain. The dosing of nitroglycerin is a five-minute wait.
A patient in severe pulmonary edema is being intubated by the respiratory therapist. What priority action by the nurse will assist in the confirmation of tube placement in the proper position in the trachea?
Call for a chest x-ray. A chest x-ray is always obtained after ET tube placement to confirm that the tube is in the proper position within the trachea.
A client is brought to the emergency department via rescue squad with suspicion of cardiogenic pulmonary edema. What complication should the nurse monitor for? Select all that apply.
Cardiac dysrhythmias Respiratory arrest Cardiac arrest
Which is a cerebrovascular manifestation of heart failure?
Cerebrovascular manifestations of heart failure include dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion, restlessness, and anxiety. Tachycardia is a cardiovascular manifestation. Ascites is a gastrointestinal manifestation. Nocturia is a renal manifestation.
A patient is undergoing a pericardiocentesis. Following withdrawal of pericardial fluid, which assessment by the nurse indicates that cardiac tamponade has been relieved?
Decrease in central venous pressure (CVP) A resulting decrease in CVP and an associated increase in blood pressure after withdrawal of pericardial fluid indicate that the cardiac tamponade has been relieved. An absence of cough would not indicate the absence of cardiac tamponade.
Which medication reverses digitalis toxicity?
Digoxin immune FAB Digoxin immune FAB binds with digoxin and makes it unavailable for use. The dosage is based on the digoxin concentration and the client's weight. Ibuprofen, warfarin, and amlodipine are not used to reverse the effects of digoxin.
The nurse assessing a client with an exacerbation of heart failure identifies which symptom as a cerebrovascular manifestation of heart failure (HF)?
Dizziness Cerebrovascular manifestations of heart failure stemming from decreased brain perfusion include dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion, restlessness, and anxiety due to decreased oxygenation and blood flow.
The nurse is obtaining data on an older adult client. What finding may indicate to the nurse the early symptom of heart failure?
Dyspnea on exertion Left-sided heart failure produces hypoxemia as a result of reduced cardiac output of arterial blood and respiratory symptoms. Many clients notice unusual fatigue with activity. Some find exertional dyspnea to be the first symptom. An increase in urinary output may be seen later as fluid accumulates. Hypotension would be a later sign of decompensating heart failure as well as tachycardia.
The nurse is caring for a client with suspected right-sided heart failure. What would the nurse know that clients with suspected right-sided heart failure may experience?
Gradual unexplained weight gain *Clients with right-sided heart failure may have a history of gradual, unexplained weight gain from fluid retention.* Left-sided heart failure produces paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, which may prompt the client to use several pillows in bed or to sleep in a chair or recliner. Right-sided heart failure does not cause increased perspiration or increased urine output.
A client is already being treated for hypertension. The doctor is concerned about the potential for heart failure, and has the client return for regular check-ups. What does hypertension have to do with heart failure?
Hypertension causes the heart's chambers to enlarge and weaken. Hypertension causes the heart's chambers to enlarge and weaken, making it impossible for the ventricles to eject all the blood they receive.
Which action will the nurse include in the plan of care for a client admitted with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) who is receiving milrinone?
Monitor blood pressure frequently Milrinone is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor that delays the release of calcium from intracellular reservoirs and prevents the uptake of extracellular calcium by the cells. This promotes vasodilation, resulting in decreased preload and afterload and reduced cardiac workload. Milrinone is administered intravenously to clients with severe HF, including those who are waiting for a heart transplant. Because the drug causes vasodilation, the client's blood pressure is monitored before administration because if the client is hypovolemic the blood pressure could drop quickly. *The major side effects are hypotension and increased ventricular dysrhythmias.* Blood pressure and the electrocardiogram (ECG) are monitored closely during and after infusions of milrinone.
The nurse is preparing to administer furosemide to a client with severe heart failure. What lab study should be of most concern for this client while taking furosemide?
Potassium level of 3.1
A client has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Which is a cause of crackles heard in the bases of the lungs?
Pulmonary congestion
A client is admitted to the hospital with systolic left-sided heart failure. The nurse knows to look for which assessment finding for this client?
Pulmonary congestion When the left ventricle cannot effectively pump blood out of the ventricle into the aorta, the blood backs up into the pulmonary system and causes congestion, dyspnea, and shortness of breath. All the other choices are symptoms of right-sided heart failure. They are all symptoms of systolic failure.
A client with heart failure reports a sudden change in the ability to perceive colors. The client reports nausea, and assessment reveals an irregular pulse of 39 beats per minute. What is the nurse's best action?
Report the possibility of digitalis toxicity to the care provider promptly
A client is admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of heart failure. The client is exhibiting symptoms of weakness, ascites, weight gain, and jugular vein distention. The nurse would know that the client is exhibiting signs of what kind of heart failure?
Right-sided heart failure *Signs and symptoms of Right Ventricular Failure include: Weakness; Ascites; Weight gain; Nausea, vomiting; Dysrhythmias; Elevated central venous pressure; Jugular vein distention.* The scenario does not indicate whether the heart failure is chronic or acute. Therefore, options A, B, and C are incorrect.
A client with severe mitral valve insufficiency has been admitted to your unit. The client is in heart failure and has developed pulmonary edema. What would be the best course of treatment for this client?
Surgery If the cause of heart failure and pulmonary edema can be corrected surgically (e.g., a mitral valve disorder), the client is supported medically while being prepared for surgery. Options A, B, and D do not have the potential to reverse or stabilize this client's disease process, so they would not be the best treatment option.
What disease processes contribute to chronic heart failure? Select all that apply.
Tachydysrhythmias Valvular disease Renal failure
Assessment of a client on a medical surgical unit finds a regular heart rate of 120 beats per minute, audible third and fourth heart sounds, blood pressure of 84/64 mm Hg, bibasilar crackles on lung auscultation, and a urine output of 5 mL over the past hour. What is the reason the nurse anticipates transferring the client to the intensive care unit?
The client is going into cardiogenic shock. This client's findings indicate cardiogenic shock, which occurs when the heart fails to pump properly, impeding blood supply and oxygen flow to vital organs. Cardiogenic shock also may cause cold, clammy skin and generalized weakness, fatigue, and muscle pain as poor blood flow causes lactic acid to accumulate and prevents waste removal. Left-sided and right-sided heart failure eventually cause venous congestion with jugular vein distention and edema as the heart fails to pump blood forward. A ruptured aneurysm causes severe hypotension and a quickly deteriorating clinical status from blood loss and circulatory collapse; this client has low but not severely decreased blood pressure. Also, in ruptured aneurysm, deterioration is more rapid and full cardiac arrest is common.
A client has a myocardial infarction in the left ventricle and develops crackles bilaterally; 3-pillow orthopnea; an S3 heart sound; and a cough with pink, frothy sputum. The nurse obtains a pulse oximetry reading of 88%. What do these signs and symptoms indicate for this client?
The development of left-sided heart failure *When the left ventricle fails, the heart muscle cannot contract forcefully enough to expel blood into the systemic circulation.* Blood subsequently becomes congested in the left ventricle, left atrium, and finally the pulmonary vasculature. *Symptoms of left-sided failure include fatigue; paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea; orthopnea; hypoxia; crackles; cyanosis; S3 heart sound; cough with pink, frothy sputum; and elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure.* COPD develops over many years and does not develop after a myocardial infarction. The development of right-sided heart failure would generally occur after a right ventricle myocardial infarction or after the development of left-sided heart failure. Cor pulmonale is a condition in which the heart is affected secondarily by lung damage.
A client is at risk for excess fluid volume. Which nursing intervention ensures the most accurate monitoring of the client's fluid status?
Weighing the client daily at the same time each day Increased fluid volume leads to rapid weight gain — 2.2 lb (1 kg) for each liter of fluid retained. Weighing the client daily at the same time and in similar clothing provides more objective data than measuring fluid *intake and output, which may be inaccurate because of omitted measurements such as insensible losses.* Changes in vital signs are less reliable than daily weight because these changes usually are subtle during early stages of fluid retention. Weight gain is an earlier sign of excess fluid volume than crackles, which represent pulmonary edema. The nurse should plan to detect fluid accumulation before pulmonary edema occurs.
The nurse is assessing a client with left-sided heart failure. What assessment finding is expected?
air hunger With left-sided heart failure, the client typically has air hunger and other signs of pulmonary congestion. Ascites, jugular vein distention, and pitting edema of the legs are signs of right-sided heart failure.
A client who has developed congestive heart failure must learn to make dietary adaptations. The client should avoid:
canned peas. There is a wide variety of foods that the client can still eat; *the key is to have low-salt content.* Canned vegetables are usually very high in salt or sodium, unless they have labels such as low-salt or sodium free or salt free. It is important to read food labels and look for foods that contain less than 300 mg sodium/serving.
The nurse is caring for a client with advanced heart failure. What treatment will be considered after all other therapies have failed?
heart transplant Heart transplantation involves replacing a person's diseased heart with a donor heart. This is an option for advanced HF patients when all other therapies have failed. *A ventricular access device, ICD, and cardiac resynchronization therapy would be tried prior to a heart transplant.*
A client is prescribed digitalis medication. Which condition should the nurse closely monitor when caring for the client?
nausea and vomiting Explanation: *Digitalis medications are potent and may cause various toxic effects. The nurse should monitor the client for signs of digitalis toxicity, not just during the initial period of therapy, but throughout care management.* The most common signs and symptoms include nausea and vomiting which can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Symptoms of toxicity do not include vasculitis, flexion contractures, or enlargement of joints.
