A nurse is planning to give pre-procedure teaching to a patient about the benefits of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA ). Which of the following is the most important for the patient to be taught?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most important fact for the patient to know is that the goal of PTCA is to increase blood flow to the coronary arteries by reducing plaque build-up. The procedure involves the use of a catheter introduced through the femoral, brachial, or radial artery into the diseased coronary artery and balloon pressure is applied to the area of plaque formation to decrease plaque size and/or stretch the vessel wall. A stent is often placed after opening the vessels.

A Nurse Is Planning to Give Pre-Procedure Teaching to a Patient