The client is admitted to the emergency department with the chief complaint of, "My heart is racing". Upon initiated cardiac monitoring, the nurse discovers that the client has a sustained heart rate of 170 beats per minute. The nurse then assesses the client for which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A sustained heart rate of 170 beats per minute is considered to be tachycardia, which can lead to decreased cardiac output due to the heart not having enough time to fill and pump blood effectively. Increased preload (the amount of blood in the heart before it contracts) can contribute to increased cardiac output, but in this case, the sustained high heart rate may result in decreased cardiac output due to decreased filling time. Decreased afterload (the resistance the heart must overcome to pump blood out to the body) would not be a result of a sustained high heart rate.

The Client Is Admitted to the Emergency Department with the Chief