Question 1

Stable angina (also called chronic stable angina)occurs most often with exercise or activity and usually subsides with ______.

Accepted Answer

rest

Question 2

What information should a nurse include in a patient's discharge instruction after an acute myocardial infarction (MI)?

Accepted Answer

Discharge instructions after an acute myocardial infarction (MI) should always include written instructions on diet and follow-up appointments to ensure proper management of the patient's condition. While caution around the use of morphine may be mentioned to the patient, detailed symptoms that indicate impending MI are not necessary as the patient has already suffered a heart attack. High-energy exercise program directions should be avoided and replaced with recommendations about starting a gradual exercise program.

Question 3

What is an important teaching point for a patient with mitral stenosis?

Accepted Answer

Mitral stenosis causes decreased blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle, leading to decreased cardiac output and oxygen delivery to the body. Balancing activity with oxygen supply is important to prevent exacerbation of symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue. While heart transplant may be a treatment option for severe cases, it is not necessarily an important teaching point for every patient with mitral stenosis. Increasing daily fluid intake may be recommended for other cardiac conditions, but is not specific to mitral stenosis. An annual electrocardiogram may be part of routine cardiac monitoring, but is not the most important teaching point for the patient with mitral stenosis.

Question 4

A patient with angina pectoris complains of chest pain at rest and needs to take three nitroglycerin (NTG)pills to relieve the pain.Of what should the nurse assess this as a major symptom?

Accepted Answer

Unstable angina is characterized by chest pain at rest or with minimal exertion and is not relieved by NTG medication. This is a serious symptom and requires immediate medical attention. Stable angina is chest pain that is only triggered by exertion and is relieved by rest or medication. Full-blown acute myocardial infarction (MI) would present with more severe and persistent chest pain, ECG changes, and elevated cardiac enzymes. Pulmonary embolus may cause chest pain, but it is usually accompanied by shortness of breath and other respiratory symptoms.

Question 5

A patient with acute congestive heart failure has jugular vein distention, crackles bilaterally, and dyspnea.Which nursing diagnosis should have the highest priority?

Accepted Answer

The most important issue in this case is fluid volume excess, which can lead to pulmonary edema and further exacerbate the patient's symptoms. Inadequate mobility may also be a concern, but it is secondary to fluid volume excess in this case. Anxiety and inadequate coping may be issues but they do not require immediate attention in this case.

Question 6

______ is an abnormal thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of arterial walls.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ______ is an abnormal thickening, hardening, and...

Question 7

A 49-year-old patient has multiple risk factors for coronary artery disease.Which risk factor is considered modifiable?

Accepted Answer

Smoking is a modifiable risk factor as the patient has control over whether or not they choose to smoke. Age, family history, and male gender are non-modifiable risk factors.

Question 8

A nurse urges a 50-year-old overweight executive who had a myocardial infarction (MI)3 months earlier to take up some conditioning exercises for 30 minutes a day.What rationale supports this suggestion? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Exercise can aid in weight loss, decrease the workload on the heart, and lower cholesterol levels. However, exercise does not increase cholesterol levels and may or may not have an impact on cardiac dysrhythmias depending on the individual's specific condition.

Question 9

What do fibrous plaques of atherosclerosis serve as when they are laid down in the vessels?

Accepted Answer

Fibrous plaques in atherosclerosis act as a trap to which other substances, such as lipids and inflammatory cells, adhere, leading to further plaque growth and potential vessel obstruction.

Question 10

What actions should a nurse implement to decrease the workload of the heart in a patient with acute congestive failure? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

To decrease the workload of the heart in a patient with acute congestive failure, the nurse should eliminate unnecessary activities, help the patient change positions every 2 hours, and give a partial bed bath rather than a full bed bath. Active range-of-motion exercises and ambulating to the bathroom may increase the workload of the heart and should be avoided unless necessary.

Quiz 34: Cardiac Disorders