The nurse is giving digoxin to a client. What is the most important parameter to check before administration?
- A. Heart rate
- B. Blood pressure
- C. Respiratory rate
- D. Oxygen saturation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Step 1: Digoxin is primarily used to treat heart conditions.
Step 2: Heart rate is crucial as digoxin can affect the heart rhythm.
Step 3: Monitoring heart rate ensures safety and effectiveness of digoxin.
Step 4: Blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation are important but not as directly impacted by digoxin.
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What term refers to the degree of myocardial fiber stretch before contraction, related to the volume of blood distending the ventricles at the end of diastole, and determined by the amount of venous return?
- A. Preload
- B. Afterload
- C. Contractility
- D. Ejection fraction
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Rationale:
1. Preload refers to myocardial fiber stretch before contraction.
2. It is related to the volume of blood in ventricles at end of diastole.
3. Preload is determined by the amount of venous return to the heart.
4. It influences the force of contraction and stroke volume.
5. Afterload (B) is the resistance the heart must overcome to pump blood.
6. Contractility (C) is the intrinsic strength of the heart muscle.
7. Ejection fraction (D) is the percentage of blood ejected from ventricles.
Summary:
- Preload is correct as it specifically relates to fiber stretch and volume of blood.
- Afterload, contractility, and ejection fraction do not directly relate to ventricular volume and venous return.
Which term refers to a condition where the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked, often referred to as a heart attack?
- A. Myocardial infarction
- B. Arrhythmia
- C. Stroke
- D. Aneurysm
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction refers to the condition where the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked, leading to tissue damage or cell death. This is commonly known as a heart attack. It is crucial to understand that arrhythmia (B), stroke (C), and aneurysm (D) are different medical conditions that do not specifically involve the blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle. Arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat, stroke is the interruption of blood supply to the brain, and an aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel. Therefore, the correct term for a condition involving a blocked blood supply to the heart muscle is myocardial infarction.
What test uses sound waves to create images of the heart and assess its structure and function?
- A. Echocardiogram
- B. MRI
- C. CT scan
- D. X-ray
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Echocardiogram. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to create images of the heart, providing detailed information about its structure and function. It is a non-invasive and safe test commonly used to diagnose various heart conditions. MRI (B) uses magnetic fields and radio waves, CT scan (C) uses X-rays, and X-ray (D) uses electromagnetic radiation, but none of these tests specifically utilize sound waves for imaging the heart.
A nurse responds to a telemetry alarm and determines that the client is in which rhythm, where the rate is greater than 150, diastole is shortened, and the heart does not have sufficient time to fill?
- A. Sinus bradycardia
- B. Sinus tachycardia
- C. Supraventricular Tachycardia
- D. Atrial flutter
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Supraventricular tachycardia involves rapid heart rates originating above the ventricles, shortening diastolic filling time.
Which condition involves the enlargement and weakening of the left ventricle of the heart, leading to reduced pumping ability?
- A. Dilated cardiomyopathy
- B. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- C. Restrictive cardiomyopathy
- D. Pericarditis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Dilated cardiomyopathy. This condition involves the enlargement and weakening of the left ventricle, leading to reduced pumping ability. This results in the heart being unable to pump blood efficiently, causing symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (B) is the thickening of the heart muscle, not enlargement. Restrictive cardiomyopathy (C) involves stiffening of the heart muscle, not weakening. Pericarditis (D) is inflammation of the pericardium, not the heart muscle itself.