The nurse is providing care to an older adult patient who is experiencing bradycardia.When educating the patient about this disorder,which age-related cardiovascular change should the nurse include?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Bradycardia is often caused by reduced number of pacemaker cells in the SA node, which is an age-related change. Stiffened artery walls (A) can contribute to hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. Increased size of the left atrium (B) is associated with heart failure, but not typically bradycardia. Decreased cardiac responsiveness to beta-adrenergic stimuli (D) is common in older adults and can contribute to cardiovascular disease, but it is not directly related to bradycardia.

The Nurse Is Providing Care to an Older Adult Patient