NCLEX RN Practice Questions Exam Cram Related

Review NCLEX RN Practice Questions Exam Cram related questions and content

A client is scheduled for a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The nurse knows that a PTCA is:

  • A. Surgical repair of a diseased coronary artery
  • B. Placement of an automatic internal cardiac defibrillator
  • C. Procedure that compresses plaque against the wall of the diseased coronary artery to improve blood flow
  • D. Non-invasive radiographic examination of the heart
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a procedure that compresses plaque against the wall of the diseased coronary artery to improve blood flow. It is performed during a cardiac catheterization to improve coronary artery blood flow in a diseased artery. Surgical repair of a diseased coronary artery is typically done through procedures like aorto-coronary bypass graft (ACBG) rather than PTCA. Placement of an automatic internal cardiac defibrillator (AICD) is a different procedure used for managing cardiac arrhythmias. Non-invasive radiographic examination of the heart refers to procedures like echocardiography or cardiac MRI, not PTCA.