Adult Health Med Surg NCLEX Test Bank Related

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The nurse is caring for a client who has just had an ankle-brachial index (ABI) test. The left arm blood pressure was 160/80 mm Hg and a palpable systolic blood pressure of the left lower extremity was 130/60 mm Hg. These findings suggest that the client has:

  • A. Mild peripheral artery disease
  • B. Moderate peripheral artery disease
  • C. No apparent occlusion in the left lower extremity
  • D. Severe peripheral artery disease
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: ABI = ankle systolic BP ÷ arm systolic BP = 130 ÷ 160 = 0.81. An ABI of 0.8–0.9 indicates mild peripheral artery disease, suggesting some arterial narrowing. Normal ABI is 0.9–1.3, moderate is 0.5–0.8, and severe is <0.5.