Exam 28: Disorders of Cardiac Conduction and Rhythm

A patient in the emergency department is experiencing a massive stroke with extremely low blood flow to the brain exhibited by a BP less than 60 mm Hg. The nurse suddenly notes there is a sharp rise in the BP to 250 mm Hg. This high BP lasts about 5 minutes, and then the BP drops sharply again. The pathophysiologic principle behind this is likely due to the

In which of the following situations would blood most likely rapidly relocate from central circulation to the lower extremities?

During an automobile accident where the patient is bleeding heavily, which vascular component is the most distensible and can store large quantities of blood that can be returned to the circulation at this time of need?

As part of their orientation to a cardiac care unit, a group of recent nursing graduates is receiving a refresher in cardiac physiology from the unit educator. Which of the following teaching points best captures a component of cardiac function?

When trying to explain to a new dialysis patient the movement of substances through the capillary pores, the nurse will explain that in the kidneys, the glomerular capillaries have

A nurse is using a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff to manually measure a client's blood pressure. The nurse knows that which of the following facts related to blood flow underlies the ability to hear blood pressure by auscultation (listening)?

Which of the following statements most accurately captures a principle of blood flow?

While intubated for surgery, a patient has inadvertently had his vagus nerve stimulated. What effect would the surgical team expect to observe?

A patient arrived at the emergency department 2 days after the development of "chest pressure" and "tightness" was treated with antacids thinking it was indigestion. His enzymes show a massive myocardial infarction (MI). Following angioplasty, the patient asks why so much muscle was damaged if only one vessel was blocked, the left circumflex. The nurse responds,

A patient is experiencing impaired circulation secondary to increased systemic arterial pressure. Which of the following statements is the most relevant phenomenon?

As part of presurgical teaching for patients who are about to undergo a coronary artery bypass graft, a nurse is performing an education session with a group of surgical candidates. Which of the following teaching points best conveys an aspect of the human circulatory system?

When explaining to a patient why he only had minimal muscle damage following 99% occlusion of the left anterior descending artery, the nurse will explain this is primarily due to

A physician is teaching a group of medical students about the physiological basis for damage to the circulatory and neurological systems that can accompany hypotension. Which of the following responses by a student would warrant correction by the physician?

In the ICU, the nurse hears an emergency cardiac monitor go off. The nurse looks at the telemetry and notices the patient has gone into ventricular tachycardia. The nurse will likely assess for signs/symptoms of

Analysis has shown that a client's right atrial pressure is 30 mm Hg. What is the most likely conclusion that the client's care team will draw from this piece of data?

Which of the following individuals is most likely to be experiencing vasodilation?

A pathologist is examining histological (tissue) samples from a client with an autoimmune disease. Which of the following characteristics of muscle samples would signal the pathologist that the samples are cardiac rather than skeletal muscle?

A client has suffered damage to his pericardium following a motor vehicle accident. Which consequence could be a possible complication of damaged pericardium that his care providers should assess for?

A 51-year-old patient with a history of alcohol abuse and liver disease has low serum levels of albumin and presents with ascites (excess fluid in his peritoneal space) and jaundice. A health care professional would recognize that which of the following processes is most likely underlying his health problems?

An 81-year-old female client of a long-term care facility has a history of congestive heart failure. The nurse practitioner caring for the client has positioned her sitting up at an angle in bed and is observing her jugular venous distention. Why is jugular venous distention a useful indicator for the assessment of the client's condition?