Cardiac Thinking
This system is often described as “the pump” in cardiovascular assessment.
What is the heart?
This node normally starts the heart’s electrical impulse.
What is the SA node?
The nurse should palpate only one of these arteries at a time.
What is the carotid artery?
This blood pressure problem can cause dizziness or falls when changing positions.
What is orthostatic hypotension?
When a patient has shortness of breath, swelling, and abnormal pulses, the nurse should do this instead of jumping to one diagnosis.
What is cluster the cues?
This test records the electrical activity of the heart.
What is an EKG?
Palpating both carotids at the same time can decrease blood flow to this organ.
What is the brain?
The nurse should assess blood pressure and pulse in these positions when checking for orthostatic hypotension.
What are lying, sitting, and standing?
This term means the tissues are receiving adequate blood flow and oxygen delivery.
What is perfusion?
This rhythm description means there is no clear pattern and the beats feel random.
What is irregularly irregular?
Excess pressure over the carotid sinus can decrease these two vital signs.
What are heart rate and blood pressure?
Dyspnea, crackles, and orthopnea are signs of this type of congestion.
What is pulmonary congestion?
Shortness of breath, crackles, orthopnea, and pulmonary congestion point more toward this side of heart failure.
What is left-sided heart failure?
If the radial pulse is irregular, the nurse should assess this pulse for a full minute.
What is the apical pulse?
Distended neck veins may suggest fluid overload or strain on this side of the heart.
What is the right side of the heart?
Edema, JVD, and weight gain point more toward this side of heart failure.
What is right-sided heart failure?
JVD, edema, hepatomegaly point more toward this side of the heart failure?
What is right sided heart failure
This finding means the apical pulse and radial pulse do not match.
What is a pulse deficit?
This abnormal vascular sound may be heard when blood flow through a vessel is turbulent.
What is a bruit?
This daily measurement is important in heart failure because sudden increases can suggest fluid retention.
What is daily weight?