During a physical examination of a 74-year-old patient,the nurse palpates the point of maximal impulse (PMI)in the sixth intercostal space lateral to the left midclavicular line.The most appropriate action for the nurse to take next will be to

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The PMI should be felt at the intersection of the fifth intercostal space and the left midclavicular line.A PMI located outside these landmarks indicates possible cardiac enlargement,such as with left ventricular hypertrophy.Cardiac enlargement is not necessarily associated with atherosclerosis or carotid artery disease.

During a Physical Examination of a 74-Year-Old Patient,the Nurse Palpates