A new myocardial infarction patient requiring angioplasty and stent placement has arrived to his first cardiac rehabilitation appointment. In this first session, a review of the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease is addressed. Which statement by the patient verifies to the nurse that he has understood the nurse's teachings about coronary artery disease?
A) "All I have to do is stop smoking, and then I won't have any more heart attacks."
B) "My artery was clogged by fat, so I will need to stop eating fatty foods like French fries every day."
C) "Sounds like this began because of inflammation inside my artery that made it easy to form fatty streaks, which lead to my clogged artery."
D) "If I do not exercise regularly to get my heart rate up, blood pools in the veins causing a clot that stops blood flow to the muscle, and I will have a heart attack."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The true etiology/cause of coronary artery disease (CAD) is unknown; however, the pathogenesis of the disorder relates to the progression of the inflammatory process from a fatty streak to the occlusive vessel lesion seen in people with coronary artery disease. Risk factors for CAD revolve around cigarette smoking, diet high in fat, and lack of exercise.

A New Myocardial Infarction Patient Requiring Angioplasty and Stent Placement