Nursing students are completing an orientation to a cardiac care floor, and are reviewing th actions of several drugs used to treat angina. What statement by a student accurately describes the specific effect that the dilating of smooth muscle of veins has on the client with angina?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rationale 1. Myocardial oxygen demand is reduced by reducing blood volume return to the heart.
Rationale 2. While this is considered a secondary action of nitrates, it is not due to the dilation of veins, it is due to the dilation of the coronary arteries.
Rationale 3. With venous vasodilation, the amount of blood returning to the heart (preload) is reduced, and the chambers contain a smaller volume. With less blood for the ventricles to pump, cardiac output is reduced and the workload of the heart is decreased, thereby lowering myocardial oxygen demand.
Rationale 4. This is not an effect of nitrates.
Rationale 5. Nitrates do not have an effect on the contractility of the heart.

Nursing Students Are Completing an Orientation to a Cardiac Care