Terminology
What does paroxysmal mean?
What is a sudden attack of a symptom, something that comes on suddenly?
Example-hypoglycemia, vertigo or a seizure
What ethnic group is at higher risk for Hypertension?
African-Americans have a higher incidence of hypertension than other racial groups, with a prevalence of 45% in non-Hispanic black men and 46.3% in non-Hispanic black women.
The S2 sounds of the heart indicates what action?
The second heart sound (S2), not the first, occurs with the closure of the semilunar valves.
When assessing a patient with a PE (Pulmonary Embolus) the nurse knows patients often describe the pain as?
What is sharp and stabbing and worsens on taking a deep breath?
When you are assessing the carotid arteries, how would you position the patient?
What is the patient can be sitting up?
Can you define Nocturia?
What is getting up frequently to urinate at night?
When Ascultating heart sounds, the S1 indicates what action?
What is the closure of the atrioventricular (AV) valves?
What is Post Prandial Hypotension?
What is a drop in blood pressure (20 mm/hg) that occurs within 75 minutes of eating?
Do valves on one side of the heart close in unison?
What is NO?
What is known as the pacemaker of the heart?
What is the SA node, it keeps the rate over 60
Can you define Substernal pain?
Substernal pain is located under the sternum.
Do African Americans develop Hypertension earlier in life than Whites do?
What is Yes
What is the Trendlenburg position?
In the Trendelenburg position the patient’s head is lower than the feet
When a patient complains of sharp, stabbing substernal pain worsened by lying down and relieved by sitting or bending forward, the nurse will know this is likely what condition?
What is Pericarditis?
What happens during Diastole?
•Diastole-is relaxation of the heart muscle, this allows for filling of the ventricles.
What does Orthopnea mean? What disease process would you see this occur?
What is needing to sit upright to breathe, seen in patients with heart failure and those with chronic or acute respiratory illness.
What does HTN mean
What is Hypertension?
To assess the precordium and the jugular veins, how would position the patient?
To assess the precordium and the jugular veins, you would position the patient supine with the head and chest elevated 30 to 45 degrees
When assessing heart sounds, what characteristics of sound do you note?
What is, Duration, frequency, intensity, and timing?
What is MAP (Mean arterial pressure)?
MAP= Mean Arterial Pressure. Refers to the average pressure within the arterial system that is felt by the organs in the body.
When the MAP is less than 60 it means there is ischemia or decreased blood supply to the body which can cause shock. This value can be found on an automated BP reading.
What is a CABG?
What is Coronary Artery Bypass graft, otherwise known as " Open heart surgery"?
The clogged vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle are clogged, they are replaced by veins in the patient's legs (or if unavailable, cadaver vessels). These patients will have incisions in the chest, and one or two legs.
When assessing heart sounds, the nurse knows it is best to assess while the patient is in what position?
The patient should be rolled toward the left, not the right, side for auscultating the heart sounds.
As blood flows through the body, what principle governs the direction of blood flow?
Blood flows from an area of higher pressure to one of lower pressure and is kept moving along by continually shifting pressure gradients.
When assessing chest pain the nurse knows that pneumonia can be painful and typically described as?
What is the Pain of pneumonia is sharp or stabbing and associated with a cough.
Cardiac Output (CO) is affected by an elevated heart rate, what is the effect?
With a Rapid HR, there is less filling and decreased perfusion