During a cardiac assessment of a 38-year-old patient in the hospital for "chest pain," the nurse finds the following: jugular vein pulsations 4 cm above the sternal angle when the patient is elevated at 45 degrees, blood pressure 98/60 mm Hg, heart rate 130 beats per minute, ankle edema, difficulty breathing when supine, and 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.S₃ is associated with heart failure and is always abnormal after 35 years of age.S₃ may be the earliest sign of heart failure.

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