During a cardiac assessment on a 38-year-old patient in the hospital for "chest pain," the nurse finds the following: jugular vein pulsations 4 cm above the sternal angle when the patient is elevated at 45 degrees, blood pressure 98/60 mm Hg, heart rate 130 beats per minute, ankle edema, difficulty breathing when supine, and an S₃ on auscultation. Which of these conditions best explains the cause of these findings?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Heart failure causes decreased cardiac output when the heart fails as a pump and the circulation becomes backed up and congested. Signs and symptoms include dyspnea, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, decreased blood pressure, dependent and pitting edema; anxiety; confusion; jugular vein distention; and fatigue. The S₃ is associated with heart failure and is always abnormal after 35 years of age. The S₃ may be the earliest sign of heart failure.

During a Cardiac Assessment on a 38-Year-Old Patient in the Hospital