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 sternal angle when he is elevated at 45 degrees,blood pressure 98/60 mm Hg,heart rate 130 beats per minute,ankle edema,difficulty in 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 age 35.The S₃ may be the earliest sign of heart failure.

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