NUR334 PrepU: Chapters 19 + 20
The nursing instructor is teaching about cardiomyopathies in class. Which type does she tell the students is the most common cause occurring in young athletes?
Genetic.
A client who has just recently completed his second series of radiation therapy for lung cancer was admitted yesterday to an acute care facility with ascites. He begins to have jugular vein distention, pedal edema, and dyspnea upon exertion as well as fatigue. What should the nurse suspect?
He has developed constrictive pericarditis.
What is the most important factor in myocardial oxygen demand?
Heart rate.
Anaphylactic shock causes severe hypoxia very quickly because of which of the following reasons?
Histamine release causes massive vasodilation.
The health care provider is discussing major risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) with a client. The most important information for the provider to include would be:
History of cigarette smoking and elevated blood pressure.
A 17-year-old athlete died suddenly during a track meet and it was subsequently determined that he had heart disease. Which condition was the most likely cause of his heart failure?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
A young college football player was bought to the emergency room after collapsing on the football field during practice. When arriving he was unconscious and his ECG was abnormal. Subsequently he died after arresting in the emergency room. What does the physician suspect is the likely cause of this?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Increased cardiac workload with left heart failure can result in which of the following change to the myocardial cells?
Hypertrophy.
A client with a history of heart failure has been assessed and the care team has determined that a reduction in myocardial workload would benefit his prognosis. Which intervention is most likely to meet this client's needs?
Implantation of a ventricular assist device.
The health care team is developing a plan of care for a client diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF). The primary treatment goal would be:
Improving quality of life by relieving symptoms.
An 86-year-old male client is disappointed to learn that he has class II heart failure despite a lifelong commitment to exercise and healthy eating. Which of the following age-related changes predisposes older adults to developing heart failure?
Increased vascular stiffness.
A client with a history of acute coronary syndrome asks why she needs to take aspirin 81 mg every day. The most appropriate response by the nurse would be:
"Aspirin will help prevent blood clotting."
Knowing the high incidence and prevalence of heart failure among the elderly, the manager of a long term care home has organized a workshop on the identification of early signs and symptoms of heart failure. Which of the following teaching points is most accurate?
"Displays of aggression, confusion, and restlessness when the resident has no history of such behavior can be a sign of heart failure."
The nurse is teaching a patient with a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and aortic valve stenosis. Which of the following statements by the patient shows that the patient understands this condition?
"I should report episodes of dizziness or fainting."
A 78-year-old man has been experiencing nocturnal chest pain over the last several months, and his family physician has diagnosed him with variant angina. Which of the following teaching points should the physician include in his explanation of the man's new diagnosis?
"I'm going to start you on low-dose aspirin, and it will help greatly if you can lose weight and keep exercising."
A nurse is performing client health education with a 68-year-old man who has recently been diagnosed with heart failure. Which of the following statements demonstrates an accurate understanding of his new diagnosis?
"I'm trying to think of ways that I can cut down the amount of salt that I usually eat."
A patient in the nursing home wonders why he is having these signs and symptoms of left-sided failure. Which of the following explanations will the nurse give the patient?
"The left ventricle is having problems pumping blood forward, and this is causing blood to back up into your lungs."
A client has been diagnosed with mitral valve stenosis following his recovery from rheumatic fever. Which of the following teaching points would be most accurate to convey to the client?
"Your mitral valve isn't opening up enough for blood to flow into the part of your heart that sends blood into circulation."
Which instructions should the nurse give to a client with a new prosthetic mitral valve? Select all that apply.
-"Lifelong anticoagulants are necessary to prevent blood clots." -"Expect to take prophylactic antibiotics for dental work."
In heart failure patients, the nurse knows that many compensatory mechanisms attempt to support cardiac output. Included among these mechanisms are which of the following? Select all that apply.
-Activation of the renin angiotensin system (RAAS). -Vasoconstriction. -Increased heart rate.
In distributive shock, there are abnormalities in vascular resistance. Which types of shock display the same distributive pattern? Select all that apply.
-Anaphylactic. -Neurogenic. -Septic.
A client who has progressed to late-stage heart failure is experiencing sympathetic stimulation. The nurse would correlate which manifestations with sympathetic response? Select all that apply.
-Arrhythmias. -Vasoconstriction. -Increased oxygen demand.
A client who has just been diagnosed with atrial stenosis asks his nurse what can cause a problem with heart valves. Which causes of dysfunction of the heart valves should the nurse relay to this client? Select all that apply.
-Congenital defects. -Rheumatic heart disease. -Trauma. -Ischemic heart disease. -Inflammation. -Degenerative changes.
The nursing instructor when teaching about disorders of cardiac function informs the students that all people presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) should be assessed for reperfusion therapy as quickly as possible. Reperfusion therapy includes which of the following? Select all that apply.
-Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). -Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). -Fibrinolytic therapy.
In circulatory shock, the adrenergic (or sympathetic) nervous system is activated. The nurse knows that stimulation of beta-2 adrenergic receptors will result in which responses? Select all that apply.
-Dilation of the bronchioles. -Vasodilation of the skeletal muscle vascular bed.
A client who has been admitted to the emergency room with symptoms of a STEMI is given nitroglycerine. The nurse explains to the client's wife that this medication is given for which of the following reasons? Select all that apply.
-For its vasodilation effect. -To relieve coronary pain.
A pediatric nurse is assessing a newborn diagnosed with persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus. Which assessment findings are associated with this heart defect? Select all that apply.
-Murmur heard at the 2nd intercostal space, during both systole and diastole. -BP 84/30 classified as a wide pulse pressure.
A person in circulatory shock may experience which damaging effects at the cellular level caused by lack of oxygen supply? Select all that apply.
-Pyruvate converted to lactic acid. -Cellular edema. -Deranged sodium/potassium balance. -Impaired cellular production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Unstable plaque, a condition of atherosclerotic heart disease, occurs in unstable angina and myocardial infarction. Unstable plaque can rupture, causing platelet aggregation and thrombus formation. What are the major determinants of the vulnerability of plaque to rupture? (Select all that apply.)
-Thickness of fibrous cap. -Presence of inflammation. -Size of lipid-rich core.
In hypovolemic shock, renal perfusion and urinary output decline. The nurse will monitor urinary output and knows that output below which of the following levels indicates inadequate renal perfusion?
20 mL/hour.
The nurse is monitoring hourly urine output of a client diagnosed with hypovolemic shock. The nurse is most concerned if the client's output is:
20 mL/hour.
Which client should most benefit from treatment with antithrombin agents?
57-year-old client who has recently been diagnosed with unstable angina.
When an acute MI occurs, many physiologic changes occur very rapidly. What causes the loss of contractile function of the heart within seconds of the onset of an MI?
Conversion from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism.
Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital condition of the heart that manifests in four distinct anomalies of the infant heart. It is considered a cyanotic heart defect because of the right-to-left shunting of the blood through the ventricular septal defect. A hallmark of this condition is the "tet spells" that occur in these children. What is a tet spell?
A hypercyanotic attack brought on by periods of stress.
ST-elevated myocardial infarction is accompanied by severe, crushing pain. Morphine is the drug of choice used to treat the pain of STEMI when the pain cannot be relieved with oxygen and nitrates. Why is morphine considered the drug of choice in STEMI?
Action decreases metabolic demands of the heart.
A client is transported to the emergency department in respiratory distress after eating peanuts. The following interventions are ordered by the health care provider. Which intervention should the nurse complete first?
Administer epinephrine (ADRENALINE).
Four patients were admitted to the emergency department with severe chest pain. All were given preliminary treatment with aspirin, morphine, oxygen, and nitrates and were monitored by ECG. Which patient most likely experienced myocardial infarction?
An 80-year-old woman whose pain started at 6 a.m. shortly after awakening and was not relieved by nitrates or rest; the ECG showed ST-segment elevation with inverted T waves and abnormal Q waves; levels of cardiac markers subsequently rose.
A client is rushed to the emergency department with symptoms of urticaria, wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty in breathing. The client is most likely experiencing which type of shock?
Anaphylactic.
Dysrhythmias can occur in patients with heart failure. The dysrhythmia that occurs most frequently in heart failure is which of the following?
Atrial fibrillation.
A 77 year old patient with a history of coronary artery disease and heart failure has arrived in the emergency room with a rapid heart rate and feeling of, "impending doom." Based on pathophysiologic principles, the nurse knows the rapid heart rate could:
Be a result of catecholamines releases from the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which could increase the myocardial oxygen demand.
Which manifestation of left-sided heart failure can be diagnosed by examination of the lips and mucous membranes?
Cyanosis.
A client who has been admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of pericardial effusion begins to experience severe tachycardia. Upon assessment the nurse finds that his central venous pressure is increased, he has jugular vein distention, his systolic blood pressure has dropped, and there is a narrow pulse pressure. His heart sounds appear to be very muffled. Which diagnosis should the nurse suspect the physician will make?
Cardiac tamponade.
A nurse educator explains a type of cardiac condition as "a heterogeneous group of diseases of the myocardium associated with mechanical and/or electrical dysfunction that usually exhibit inappropriate ventricular hypertrophy or dilation and often lead to cardiovascular death or progressive heart failure." Which condition fits this definition?
Cardiomyopathy.
The nursing instructor is teaching her nursing students about cardiac function and different heart diseases. Which of the following disease does she tell the students is caused by calcified scar tissue that develops between the visceral and parietal layers of the serous pericardium?
Constrictive pericarditis.
The nurse is developing a plan of care for a client with heart failure. The most important information for the nurse to consider would be:
Decreased cardiac output.
The nurse knows that in heart failure, the increase in renal secretion of renin is caused by which of the following?
Decreased cardiac output.
For which of the following types of shock might intravenous antibiotic therapy be indicated?
Distributive shock.
A nurse is administering morning medications to a number of patients on a medical unit. Which of the following medication regimens is most suggestive that the patient has a diagnosis of heart failure?
Diuretic, ACE inhibitor, beta blocker.
The nurse working in the ICU knows that chronic elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure will result in the patient displaying which of the following clinical manifestations?
Dyspnea and crackles in bilateral lung bases.
A nurse in a nursing home is concerned that a resident may be developing left heart failure. Manifestations of left heart failure would include which of the following symptoms?
Dyspnea, cough.
A 34-year-old man who is an intravenous drug user has presented to the emergency department with malaise, abdominal pain, and lethargy. The health care team wants to rule out endocarditis as a diagnosis. Staff of the department would most realistically anticipate which of the following sets of diagnostics?
Echocardiogram, blood cultures, temperature.
All of the following interventions are ordered stat for a patient stung by a bee who is experiencing severe respiratory distress and faintness. Which priority intervention will the nurse administer first?
Epinephrine (ADRENALIN).
A 22-year-old male is experiencing hypovolemic shock following a fight in which his carotid artery was cut with a broken bottle. What immediate treatments are likely to most benefit the man?
Infusion of normal saline or Ringer's lactate to maintain the vascular space.
A client who was diagnosed with myocarditis asks the nurse what caused his disease. Which response by the nurse is most accurate?
It is usually caused by a viral infection.
The nurse has just completed teaching a client about acyanotic congenital heart disease. The nurse determines that teaching was effective when the client states the blood is shunted where to which part of the body?
Left side of the heart to the right side of the heart.
Increased secretion of renin in heart failure is caused by which of the following events?
Low cardiac output.
A 13-year-old boy has had a sore throat for at least a week, vomiting for 2 days, cervical lymph nodes are swollen, and he moves stiffly because his joints hurt. Throat cultures show infection with group A streptococci. This child is at high risk for development of which cardiac abnormality?
Mitral valve stenosis.
A client is admitted for observation due to abnormal heart sounds, pulmonary congestion, nocturnal paroxysmal dyspnea, and orthopnea. Upon auscultation a low-pitched, rumbling murmur, best heard at the apex of the heart, is also heard. Which condition does the client likely have?
Mitral valve stenosis.
The nurse working in the emergency room triages a client who comes in with complaints of chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating and elevated anxiety. The physician suspects a myodardial infarction. The client is given a nitrate, which does nothing for his pain. Which of the following medications should the nurse suspect the doctor will order next for the pain?
Morphine.
The nurse is developing a plan of care for a client diagnosed with stable angina. Select the most important goal for this client.
Myocardial infarction (MI) prevention.
A client has developed left heart failure. Which of the following symptoms might have precipitated this condition?
Myocardial infarction (MI).
A patient has developed cardiogenic shock. The most frequent cause of this type of shock is which of the following?
Myocardial infarction (MI).
A client who developed a deep vein thrombosis during a prolonged period of bed rest has deteriorated as the clot has dislodged and resulted in a pulmonary embolism. Which of the following types of shock is this client at risk of experiencing?
Obstructive shock.
Which of the following patients with cardiomyopathy does the nurse identify as having the greatest risk for a complication?
One with an ejection fraction of 25% and atrial fibrillation.
A nurse is assessing a client diagnosed with severe mitral valve stenosis. The nurse anticipates which classic assessment finding?
Orthopnea.
A client comes to the emergency room exhibiting signs and symptoms of right-sided heart failure. Upon X-ray it is determined that he has 250ML of fluid in the pericardial cavity. Which disease should the nurse suspect this client to be suffering?
Pericardial effusion.
A client is seen in the emergency room with complaints of sharp chest pain that started abruptly. He says it has radiated to his neck and abdomen. He also states that it is worse when he takes a deep breath or swallows. He tells the nurse that when he sits up and leans forward the pain is better. Upon examination the nurse notes a pericardial friction rub and some EKG changes. Which disease should the nurse suspect this client to have?
Pericarditis.
On a holiday trip home, the nurse's mother states that the nurse's father was diagnosed with right heart failure. Which of the following manifestations exhibited by the father does the nurse know might have preceded this diagnosis?
Peripheral edema weight gain.
A client is at high risk for the development of rheumatic heart disease. The most important information for the nurse to provide would be:
Prompt diagnosis and treatment of streptococcal infections.
A preventative measure to decrease the risk of developing rheumatic heart disease includes which of the following?
Prompt diagnosis of streptococcal infections with a throat culture.
The initial medical management for a symptomatic patient with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) would be administering a medication to block the effects of catecholamines. The nurse will anticipate administering which of the following medications?
Propranolol, a β-Adrenergic blocker.
A nurse preceptor is evaluating the skills of a new registered nurse (RN) caring for clients experiencing shock. Which action by the new RN indicates a need for more education?
Raising the head of the bed to a high Fowler's position.
The nurse knows that the basic pathophysiology of heart failure is best described as which of the following?
Reduced ventricular efficiency.
A teenager is seen in the emergency room with complaints of a sore throat, headache, fever, abdominal pain, and swollen glands. His mother tells the nurse that he was seen three weeks before in the clinic and treated with antibiotics for a strep throat. He was better for a few days but now he seems to have gotten worse in the last two days. What should the nurse suspect is wrong with this client?
Rheumatic fever.
Assessment of an elderly female client reveals the presence of bilateral pitting edema of the client's feet and ankles and pedal pulses that are difficult to palpate. Auscultation of the client's lungs reveals clear air entry to bases, and the client's oxygen saturation level is 93%, and vital signs are within reference ranges. What is this client's most likely health problem?
Right-sided heart failure.
A client who is experiencing angina at rest that has been increasing in intensity should be instructed to do which of the following?
See the doctor for evaluation immediately.
A 20-year-old college student being treated for a kidney infection developed a temperature of 104ºF in spite of treatment with antibiotics. Her pulse was high, her blood pressure was low, and her skin was hot, dry, and flushed. The nurse knows that this patient most likely is experiencing which of the following types of shock?
Septic.
An IV drug abuser walks into the ED telling the nurse that, "they are sick." They look feverish with flushed, moist skin; dehydrated with dry lips/mucous membranes; and, fatigued. The assessment reveals a loud murmur. An echocardiogram was order that shows a large vegetation growing on their mitral valve. The patient is admitted to ICU. The nurse will be assessing this patient for which possible life-threatening complication?
Systemic emboli, especially to brain.
Which of the following patients is at the greatest risk of developing rheumatic heart disease?
Teenager with untreated strep throat.
The health care provider is reviewing lab results of a client diagnosed with heart failure. The provider notes that the client's ANP and BNP levels have been increasing and remain significantly elevated. These results would be interpreted as:
The condition is getting progressively worse.
A client comes to the emergency room with all the symptoms of a myodardial infarction. Which lab value does the nurse suspect the physician will order which is known to have a high specificity for myocardial tissue and has become the primary biomarker test for diagnosing an MI?
Troponin assays.
Which serum biomarker is highly specific for myocardial tissue?
Troponin.
A patient is told that she has cardiac valve leaflets, or cusps, that are floppy and fail to shut completely, permitting blood flow even when the valve should be completely closed. The nurse knows that this condition can lead to heart failure and is referred to as which of the following?
Valvular regurgitation.
An elderly client asks the nurse why so many older people develop heart failure. The best response would be increased:
Vascular stiffness.
Levels of endothelins may be increased in clients with heart failure. Which of the following is the primary action of endothelins?
Vasoconstriction.
A person with blood pressure of 68/38 fainted after donating a unit of blood. The blood bank technician stated that the person was experiencing low preload from loss of blood volume. The nurse knows that preload refers to which of the following?
Venous return to the heart.
A patient is diagnosed with right-sided heart failure. The nurse knows that a frequent sign of this type of failure is peripheral edema, evidenced by which of the following?
Weight gain.
An elderly client has been diagnosed with chronic heart failure. He is prescribed an ACE inhibitor to treat the symptoms and improve his quality of life. This drug will alleviate the client's symptoms of heart failure by:
blocking the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II.
A nurse will be providing care for a female patient who has a diagnosis of heart failure that has been characterized as being primarily right-sided. Which of the following statements best describes the presentation that the nurse should anticipate? The client:
has pitting edema to the ankles and feet bilaterally, decreased activity tolerance, and occasional upper right quadrant pain.
Mitral valve prolapse occurs frequently in the population at large. Its treatment is aimed at relieving the symptoms and preventing complications of the disorder. Which drug is used in the treatment of mitral valve prolapse to relieve symptoms and aid in preventing complications?
β-Adrenergic-blocking drugs.