Cardiac Anatomy
This landmark on the sternum is used to help identify the location of the cardiac auscultation areas
What is the Angle of Louis?
During cardiovascular inspection, the nurse should assess the patient's head, neck, extremities, face, lips, ears, and this additional area.
What is the scalp?
These two structures are specifically assessed during the cardiovascular examination of the neck
What are the carotid arteries and jugular veins?
The nurse palpates across this area, including the five auscultatory locations and the epigastrium.
What is the precordium?
These are audible vibrations associated with turbulent blood flow through a cardiac valve.
What are murmurs?
This term refers to the area of the chest overlying the heart that is assessed by inspection and palpation
What is the precordium?
A normal cardiovascular assessment describes the lips as smooth and having no evidence of this color change.
What is cyanosis?
In the normal finding described in the PDF, jugular veins should generally not be visible when the patient is in this position.
What is an upright position?
These areas can be palpated for pulsations: sternoclavicular, aortic, pulmonic, tricuspid, and this additional area.
What is the epigastric area?
Unlike a murmur, this finding is a vibration that can be detected by palpation.
What is a thrill?
The PMI, or point of maximum impulse, is associated with this valve area.
What is the mitral area?
When assessing the lower extremities, the nurse should note uniform color and temperature along with this distribution.
What is even hair distribution?
List 4 modifiable causes for heart disease
diet, exercise, smoking, stress, alcohol, drug abuse
A normal finding is slight vibration at this location during palpation of the precordium.
What is the PMI?
After listening to the heart sounds, the nurse should repeat the assessment using this part of the stethoscope.
What is the bell?
During assessment, the nurse palpates this area to locate the apical impulse.
What is the PMI (point of maximum impulse)?
Normally, chest veins should be evenly distributed and flat, without bulges or these abnormal findings.
What are masses?
When assessing the neck vessels, the nurse focuses on these two major vascular structures.
What are the carotid arteries and jugular veins?
When assessing the carotid pulses, a normal finding is that they are palpable and this on both sides.
What is equal bilaterally?
This position is useful when repeating cardiac auscultation.
What is left-side lying?
This landmark helps the nurse identify the location of the cardiac auscultation areas on the chest.
What is the Angle of Louis?
During inspection of the patient's lower extremities, the nurse evaluates these three characteristics for symmetry and normal appearance.
What are color, temperature, and hair distribution?
Name 3 conditions that increase preload
Hypervolemia, regurgitation of cardiac values, increased sodium retention, pregnancy, kidney failure
At the aortic and pulmonic auscultatory areas, this heart sound should normally be louder than S1.
What is S2?
A normal cardiovascular assessment includes a carotid pulse that is synchronized with this pulse.
What is the apical pulse?