Deck 21: Cardiovascular System Function, Assessment, and Therapeutic Measures

Question 1

A patient is diagnosed with epicarditis.What should the nurse recall regarding the purpose of the epicardium when caring for this patient?

A) Line the chambers of the heart.
B) Line the coronary blood vessels.
C) Cover the heart muscle and prevent friction.
D) Contract and pump blood from the ventricles.

Answer 1

Cover the heart muscle and prevent friction.

Question 2

A patient is being instructed about a Holter monitor.Which statement indicates that the patient knows what to do a symptom occurs while wearing a Holter monitor?

A) Call an ambulance.
B) Notify the physician.
C) Take an apical pulse.
D) Push the event button.

Answer 2

Push the event button.

Question 3

A patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus arrives for cardiac surgery.During the assessment,the nurse learns the patient self-administered the usual insulin dose.Which action should the nurse take?

A) Obtain vital signs.
B) State, "that is good."
C) Inform the physician.
D) Give 6 ounces of cranberry juice now.

Answer 3

Inform the physician.

Question 4

A patient has sustained damage to the sinoatrial node.Which heart rates indicate that the patient's atrioventricular node has taken over as the pacemaker for the heart?

A) 10 to 20
B) 20 to 35
C) 40 to 60
D) 80 to 100

Question 5

The nurse is reinforcing teaching provided to a patient about the role high-density lipoproteins (HDLs)play in cardiac disease.Which patient statement indicates correct understanding of the teaching?

A) "There is an increased blood clotting risk."
B) "There is increased risk for coronary artery disease."
C) "It provides protection against coronary artery disease."
D) "The risk for atherosclerosis development is increased."

Question 6

The nurse is collecting data from a patient with hypertension.Which modifiable cardiovascular risk factor should the nurse identify for care planning?

A) Gender
B) Heredity
C) Ethnic origin
D) Activity level

Question 7

The nurse is reviewing the anatomy and physiology of the cardiac system with a patient scheduled for pacemaker insertion.Which chamber of the heart should the nurse instruct has the greatest workload and usually fails first as a result?

A) Left atrium
B) Right atrium
C) Left ventricle
D) Right ventricle

Question 8

A patient will be wearing a Holter monitor for 2 days.What should the nurse instruct the patient about bathing while wearing the monitor?

A) "Take a sponge bath."
B) "You may take a tub bath."
C) "Take a shower with the monitor on."
D) "Remove the monitor before showering."

Question 9

The nurse is caring for a patient recovering from a cardiac catheterization with a right femoral artery entry site.Which action should the nurse take?

A) Ambulate every 2 hours.
B) Position knees with 40-degree bend.
C) Avoid movement of right leg as ordered.
D) Perform passive range of motion of right leg hourly.

Question 10

The nurse is using a stethoscope to listen to a patient's heart sounds.The nurse recognizes that the "dupp" of the characteristic "lubb-dupp" heart sound indicates what part of the cardiac cycle?

A) The closure of the mitral valve
B) The closure of the tricuspid valve
C) The closure of the atrioventricular valves
D) The closure of the aortic and pulmonary semilunar valves

Question 11

The nurse is measuring a patient's central venous pressure (CVP).Which patient factors is reflected by this pressure reading?

A) Hydration
B) Cardiac output
C) Blood pressure
D) Peripheral vascular resistance

Question 12

The nurse reviews the cardiac catheterization procedure with a patient scheduled for the test in 2 hours.Which patient statement indicates that teaching has been effective?

A) "I know the room will be very warm."
B) "Most people feel drowsy during the procedure."
C) "The table may move while the test is being done."
D) "I should expect a cool sensation throughout my body when they inject the dye."

Question 13

The nurse is caring for a patient who had a cardiac catheterization using the left femoral site for entry.Which data is most important for the nurse to monitor?

A) Pupil reaction
B) Left pedal pulse
C) Orientation status
D) Right foot sensation

Question 14

A patient asks the nurse to explain what high levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs)means.What response by the nurse would be appropriate?

A) "Increased blood clotting risk."
B) "Increased risk for coronary artery disease."
C) "Protection against coronary artery disease."
D) "Decreased risk for atherosclerosis development."

Question 15

The nurse suspects that a patient's heart rate is being affected by parasympathetic influence.What should the nurse recall as the effect the parasympathetic nervous system has on the heart?

A) Decreases heart rate
B) Decreases resting phase
C) Increases cardiac output
D) Increases strength of contraction

Question 16

The nurse is helping a patient understand why the heart beat can change in speed.When doing so,what should the nurse explain as being the pacemaker of the heart?

A) Bundle of His
B) Sinoatrial node
C) Purkinje's fibers
D) Atrioventricular node

Question 17

The nurse is explaining the regulation of blood pressure to a patient newly diagnosed with hypertension.What tissues within the artery wall that helps maintain diastolic blood pressure should the nurse identify for the patient?

A) Smooth muscle and elastic connective tissue
B) Smooth muscle and simple squamous epithelium
C) Elastic connective tissue and fibrous connective tissue
D) Fibrous connective tissue and simple squamous epithelium

Question 18

The nurse is providing care for a patient whose right atrial pressure (RAP)is 12 mm Hg.Which action should the nurse take?

A) Assess skin turgor.
B) Listen to breath sounds.
C) Measure urine specific gravity.
D) Determine level of consciousness.

Question 19

Upon auscultating a patient's heart sounds,the nurse is concerned that a pericardial friction rub is present.Which health problem should the nurse suspect is possibly occurring in this patient?

A) Pleurisy
B) Pneumonia
C) Mitral valve prolapse
D) Myocardial infarction

Question 20

The nurse instructs a patient on beverages to avoid when taking the prescribed medication warfarin (Coumadin).Which beverage should the patient state that indicates teaching has been effective?

A) Beer
B) Orange juice
C) Grapefruit juice
D) Cranberry juice

Question 21

The nurse is planning to auscultate a patient's apical pulse.How long should the nurse listen to the patient's heart?

A) 15 seconds
B) 30 seconds
C) 60 seconds
D) 90 seconds

Question 22

The nurse notes that a patient's lower legs are brown and the feet are blue when they are in the dependent position.For which health problem should the nurse collect additional data?

A) Anemia
B) Insufficient oxygenation
C) Decreased arterial blood flow
D) Venous blood flow problems

Question 23

A patient being treated for a severe blood loss has a blood pressure of 90/56 mm Hg and urine output of 10 mL over the last hour.Which physiological mechanism should the nurse recall is occurring in this patient?

A) Starling's law
B) Medulla-brainstem
C) Sodium-potassium pump
D) Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone

Question 24

The nurse determines that a patient's pulmonary artery wedge pressure is normal.What range of values did the nurse use to make this decision?

A) 1 to 7 mm Hg
B) 2 to 9 mm Hg
C) 3 to 10 mm Hg
D) 4 to 12 mm Hg

Question 25

The nurse is caring for a patient with peripheral vascular disease.Which signs or symptoms should the nurse expect to observe in this patient? (Select all that apply.)

A) Pain
B) Pruritus
C) Purpura
D) Paralysis
E) Paresthesia
F) Pulselessness

Question 26

The nurse is caring for a patient recovering from a cardiac catheterization.Which action should the nurse take?

A) Force 1000 mL of fluid per hour.
B) Keep patient NPO until gag reflex is present.
C) Encourage the patient to drink plenty of liquids.
D) Hold fluid intake for 2 hours after the procedure.

Question 27

The nurse is documenting information collected about a patient's pulses.How should the nurse document that a peripheral pulse was normal?

A) 0
B) 1+
C) 2+
D) 3+

Question 28

The nurse is reinforcing teaching for a patient who is to wear a Holter monitor.Which of the following should the nurse include? (Select all that apply.)

A) Avoid strenuous activity.
B) Transmit data over the phone.
C) Push the event button when symptoms occur.
D) Keep an accurate diary of symptoms and activities.
E) Avoid showers or baths while wearing the monitor.
F) Take nothing by mouth for 6 hours before applying the monitor.

Question 29

A patient with orthostatic hypotension asks why the health problem is occurring.What should the nurse include when explaining the causes of orthostatic hypotension to the patient? (Select all that apply.)

A) Experiencing pain
B) Use of narcotic pain medication
C) Lack of sufficient rest and sleep
D) Insufficient fluid volume in the body
E) Use of medication that takes fluid out of the body

Question 30

The nurse is caring for a patient whose troponin I level is elevated.Which nursing action would be appropriate?

A) Up as desired.
B) Ambulate daily.
C) Maintain bedrest.
D) Ambulate twice daily.

Question 31

The nurse notes that a patient being prepared for a cardiac computed tomography (CT)scan has mild renal insufficiency.What should the nurse expect to be ordered before and after the procedure for this patient? (Select all that apply.)

A) Lasix
B) Aldactone
C) Lactic acid
D) Dextrose 10% infusion
E) N-acetylcysteine (Mucomyst)

Question 32

The nurse is attempting to detect a pericardial friction rub on a patient.Which actions will help the nurse in gathering this data during auscultation? (Select all that apply.)

A) Have the patient sit up.
B) Have the patient lie flat.
C) Have the patient lean forward.
D) Listen to the posterior of the chest.
E) Instruct patient to hold breath as listening.
F) Have the patient deep breathe as listening.

Question 33

The nurse is caring for a patient recovering from a cardiac catheterization.Which actions for site care should the nurse take?

A) Keep the site uncovered.
B) Apply a Band-Aid to the site.
C) Maintain pressure dressing on the site.
D) Apply a gauze bandage to the puncture site.

Question 34

The nurse is preparing a patient for an angiogram.What should be included in data collection for this patient?

A) Ask if the patient is allergic to eggs.
B) Ask if the patient is allergic to meat.
C) Ask if the patient is allergic to peanuts.
D) Ask if the patient is allergic to contrast dyes.

Question 35

While collecting data a patient expectorates pink frothy sputum.Which health problem should the nurse consider is occurring in this patient?

A) Gastritis
B) Pneumonia
C) Heart failure
D) Hepatic failure

Question 36

The nurse is caring for a patient who is having an exercise treadmill test.What interventions would be appropriate for the test? (Select all that apply.)

A) Remove all metal objects.
B) Monitor vital signs throughout the test.
C) Administer antianxiety medication as ordered.
D) Monitor electrocardiogram before, during, and after the test.
E) Ask the patient about allergies to dyes used in diagnostic procedures.

Question 37

The nurse is preparing to measure a patient for orthostatic hypotension.Which action should the nurse take to obtain this information? (Select all that apply.)

A) Use the correct size blood pressure cuff for the patient.
B) Instruct the patient not to eat or drink for 30 minutes prior to the test.
C) Have the patient refrain from smoking for at least 4 hours prior to the test.
D) Take pulse and blood pressure readings immediately upon assisting the patient to stand.
E) Assist the patient to a sitting position, wait 3 minutes, and take the pulse and blood pressure.
F) Obtain supine reading with patient lying with head of bed elevated 30 degrees for 30 minutes.

Question 38

During data collection,the nurse learns that a patient with chronic cardiac problems and diabetes has gained 5 pounds of weight over 3 days and is experiencing fatigue when climbing stairs.Upon inspection,the nurse notes edema of the lower extremities.What health problem do these symptoms suggest that the nurse should report to the physician?

A) Acute heart failure
B) Myocardial infarction
C) Left-sided heart failure
D) Right-sided heart failure

Question 39

The nurse is reinforcing teaching provided to a patient with a high serum cholesterol level,low HDLs and high LDLs.What should the nurse include?

A) "You need to see your doctor about this as soon as possible to start medications to lower your cholesterol."
B) "Your cholesterol level is too high, so you should stop eating foods high in cholesterol, such as eggs and cream."
C) "Your cholesterol level is okay, but you should decrease your LDLs by lowering your fat intake and getting more exercise."
D) "Your cholesterol level and LDLs are too high. You need to lower your intake of saturated fats and increase your level of exercise."

Question 40

The nurse is reviewing the role of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)in blood pressure regulation for a patient with hypertension.What should the nurse include in this discussion? (Select all that apply.)

A) It decreases blood volume.
B) It increases cardiac output.
C) It inhibits aldosterone secretion.
D) It causes an increase in the baseline heart rate.
E) It causes vasoconstriction throughout the body.
F) It increases renal secretion of sodium ions and water.

Question 41

A patient has a stroke volume of 75 mL and a heart rate of 88.What should the nurse calculate this patient's cardiac output to be?