Rhythms
This portion of the EKG measures depolarization of the right and left ventricles of the heart (normally 2.5 small boxes).
What is the QRS complex?
This medication, commonly prescribed for hypothyroidism, is recommended to be taken 30 minutes before breakfast to ensure optimal absorption.
What is levothyroxine?
This key component of the RAAS system (potent peptide hormone) plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure and fluid balance in the body by vasoconstricting blood vessels, stimulating the adrenal glands to release aldosterone, and stimulating the release of antidiuretic hormone from the pituitary.
What is angiotensin II?
Converted from angiotensin I to angiotensin II by Angiotensin Converting Enzyme.
Unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH).
What are two types of heparins that are commonly used to prevent the formation of blood clots?
This condition, characterized by the buildup of plaque in the arteries, can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases.
What is atherosclerosis?
This measurement, expressed as a percentage, indicates how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction and is crucial for diagnosing heart failure.
What is ejection fraction?
Patients with this condition should avoid using heating pads on their legs to prevent burns and complications due to reduced blood flow and sensation.
What is peripheral arterial disease?
These three conditions can lead to increased afterload.
What is hypertension (high blood pressure), aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve), and increased arterial stiffness?
The thyroid gland produces these three hormones that play crucial roles in regulating metabolism, calcium levels, and overall energy balance in the body.
What are T3, T4, and calcitonin?
This chronic condition of increased blood pressure can damage the inner lining of arteries, leading to the buildup of plaque (atherosclerosis), which narrows the arteries and restricts blood flow to the heart. This can lead to angina, heart attacks and arrhythmias.
What is hypertension?
This type of filter, often placed via percutaneous coronary intervention, is used to prevent blood clots from traveling to the lungs and causing a pulmonary embolism.
What is an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter?
This change can reduce your risk of CAD by 50% within 1 year.
What is smoking cessation?
This non-invasive diagnostic test uses sound waves to produce images of the heart, allowing doctors to assess its structure and function (how the heart is beating and how blood is moving through the heart chambers and valves).
What is an echocardiogram?
Why should the nurse use a marker to mark the edge of the involved area of swelling in a client with cellulitis?
What is "To monitor for progression or regression of the infection"?
The amount of blood ejected by the left ventricle of the heart in one contraction. It is influenced by preload, afterload, and myocardial contractility.
What is stroke volume?
This condition, characterized by an enlarged thyroid gland, can be caused by iodine deficiency or autoimmune diseases.
What is a goiter?
This medication works by selectively inhibiting beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart, reducing heart rate and cardiac output.
What is metoprolol?
Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, avoiding prolonged immobility, elevating legs while sitting, avoiding placing a pillow under the knees, wearing compression stockings, staying hydrated, smoking cessation, and taking prescribed anticoagulants.
What are interventions to avoid developing a DVT?
These medications, known for lowering cholesterol, work by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which leads to a decrease in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood.
What are statins?
Syndrome in which the heart fails to pump adequate blood throughout the body resulting in congestion of pulmonary or systemic circulation.
What is congestive heart failure (CHF)?
For clients with this condition, the best position of the legs is to keep them lower than the heart to improve blood flow and reduce pain.
What is peripheral arterial disease?
The time from the start of the QRS complex to the end of the T wave, indicating the total time for ventricular depolarization and repolarization.
What is the QT interval?
This disorder of the thyroid can lead to increased bone turnover causing calcium to be released from the bones into the bloodstream, potentially resulting in hypercalcemia.
What is hyperthyroidism?
Male gender, inactivity, unhealthy diet or diet high in sodium, tobacco use, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and sleep apnea.
What are risk factors for developing hypertension?
Endothelial damage, venous stasis, and hypercoagulability.
What are features of the Virchow Triad?
This type of angina is characterized by sudden, unpredictable chest pain that occurs at rest or with minimal exertion, often signaling an increased risk of a heart attack.
What is unstable angina?
High blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
What are the two most common causes of heart failure?
Age over 50, female gender, overweight/obesity, smoking, family history of venous disease, varicose veins, long periods of standing or sitting, and being sedentary or inactive.
What are risk factors for chronic venous insufficiency?
This wave represents the repolarization (relaxation) of the ventricles after a contraction.
What is the T Wave?
This autoimmune disorder causes the thyroid gland to become overactive, leading to symptoms such as weight loss, rapid heartbeat, and nervousness.
What is Grave's disease?
This form of hypertension has an identifiable cause, such as kidney disease, hormonal disorders, certain medications, or sleep apnea.
What is secondary hypertension?
This type of anticoagulant is commonly used to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and can be administered via subcutaneous injection, often allowing for outpatient treatment.
What is low molecular weight heparin (e.g. enoxaparin)?
This rare type of angina, also known as variant angina, is characterized by chest pain that typically occurs at rest, often during the night or early morning, due to spasms in the coronary arteries.
What is Prinzmetal angina?
This chronic condition occurs when the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs, often leading to symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling in the legs and feet.
What is heart failure?
This condition, characterized by poor blood flow in the leg veins, can be managed with treatments such as compression stockings, lifestyle changes, and minimally invasive procedures like sclerotherapy.
What is chronic venous insufficiency?
The time it takes for the electrical impulse to travel from the sinoatrial (SA) node through the atria, the atrioventricular (AV) node, and into the ventricles.
What is the P-R interval?
This thyroid hormone regulates calcium levels in the blood by inhibiting bone resorption and promoting calcium excretion by the kidneys.
What is calcitonin?
The combined effects from this system include vasoconstriction, increased blood volume, and water retention help to raise blood pressure and restore fluid balance.
What is the RAAS system?
This disorder results in reduced blood flow to the lower extremities which causes brittle toenails, decreased peripheral pulses, and loss of hair on the legs.
What is peripheral arterial disease (PAD)?
This vasodilating ointment is used to prevent chest pain (angina) by relaxing blood vessels. It is applied to the skin, and healthcare providers should wear gloves when handling it to avoid direct contact and potential side effects.
What is Nitropaste (nitroglycerin ointment)?
This type of heart failure occurs when the left ventricle becomes stiff and unable to relax properly, leading to inadequate filling of the heart during diastole, despite a normal ejection fraction.
What is diastolic heart failure?
Clients with venous insufficiency should avoid doing this to prevent blood from pooling in the legs.
What is standing for long periods of time?
This irregular and often rapid heart rhythm (often up to 200 bpm) occurs when the heart's upper chambers (atria) beat chaotically and out of sync with the lower chambers (ventricles). Treatment includes medication, electrical cardioversion or catheter ablation.
What is atrial fibrillation?
This disorder of the thyroid can lead to slowing down of the digestive system leading to constipation, abdominal discomfort, bloating and gas, and weight gain.
What is hypothyroidism?
High blood pressure can cause this eye disorder by damaging the blood vessels in the retina, leading to vision problems and even blindness.
What is retinopathy?
In a postoperative client reporting leg tenderness and warmth, the attending RN should perform these assessments prior to calling the healthcare provider.
This diagnostic test, which can be performed via treadmill exercise or with medication, is used to measure the function of the heart during physical activity. It helps detect blockages in the coronary arteries by showing if there is a lack of sufficient blood supply to the heart muscle during exercise.
What is a stress test?
Swelling in the feet, ankles, legs, and sometimes the abdomen, fatigue, weight gain, nocturia and GI symptoms of nausea, bloating and loss of appetite.
What are signs and symptoms of right-sided heart failure?
Ischemic pain at rest; small, nonhealing ulcers with well-defined edges; gangrene; and tissue necrosis typically found on toes, feet or lower legs.
What are signs and symptoms of peripheral arterial disease (PAD)?
In this condition, the heart rate is elevated above 100 beats per minute (bpm) due to increased electrical signals from the sinoatrial (SA) node.
What is sinus tachycardia?
This synthetic hormone is derived from salmon and is used to treat osteoporosis. It is commonly administered as a nasal spray or injection.
What is calcitonin salmon?
This class of anti-hypertensive medications help lower blood pressure and improve heart function by preventing the formation of angiotensin II, a substance that narrows blood vessels.
What are ACE inhibitors?
Sudden dyspnea, tachycardia, tachypnea, sudden pleuritic chest pain, cough and hemoptysis.
What are signs and symptoms of a pulmonary embolism?
This class of medications, commonly used to treat angina, can cause side effects such as headache (due to dilation of blood vessels in the brain) and orthostatic hypotension.
What are nitrates?
This hormone is produced by the heart's ventricles in response to excessive stretching of the heart muscle. Levels of this hormone are measured and used to diagnose and monitor heart failure. Elevated levels indicate the heart is under stress and is not pumping blood effectively.
What is brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)?
Chills, leukocytosis, elevated temperature, erythema of the affected area.
What are signs and symptoms of cellulitis?
In this condition, the heart rate is slower than normal, typically fewer than 60 beats per minute (bpm) in adults. Treatment may include medications or the placement of a pacemaker to regulate the heart rate.
What is sinus bradycardia?
This rare but serious complication of poorly controlled hypothyroidism can cause severe symptoms like hypothermia, respiratory failure, and altered mental status requiring urgent medical intervention.
What is myxedema coma?
Oral antihypertensive medications to lower blood pressure gradually over 24-48 hours, lifestyle modifications and regular follow-up to monitor blood pressure and adjust medications as needed.
What are treatments for hypertensive emergency?
This blood test measures a protein fragment produced when a blood clot dissolves and is often used to help diagnose deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
What is the D-dimer test?
This medication competes with potassium for binding to the Na+/K+ ATPase pump in cardiac cells. A low potassium level enhances this medication's inhibitory effect leading to increased cardiac contractility and potentially dangerous arrhythmias.
What is digoxin?
Monitoring potassium levels is crucial when administering this medication to prevent these potentially severe complications.
These devices, including pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), are used to manage heart failure by helping the heart maintain a proper rhythm and improve its pumping efficiency.
What are cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs)?
This combination of treatments is used to manage the systemic effects of cellulitis, particularly in severe cases with systemic toxicity.
What are IV antibiotics, oxygen and intravenous fluids?
Extra heartbeats that originate in the atria and disrupt the regular heart rhythm, often causing a sensation of palpitations or a skipped or extra beat.
What are premature atrial contractions?
This life-threatening condition, associated with severe hyperthyroidism, is characterized by symptoms such as high fever, rapid heart rate, and agitation, and requires immediate medical intervention.
What is thyroid storm?
This class of medications, commonly used to treat hypertension and heart failure, can cause a rare but serious side effect characterized by swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and airways.
What are ACE inhibitors?
These risk factors put a pregnant woman at greater risk for developing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
What are increased blood clotting, reduced blood flow due to the growing uterus, hormonal changes, reduced mobility, pregnancy at age 35 or older, overweight or obesity, and smoking?
This beta-blocker reduces the heart's ability to pump and should be held if auscultation of the lungs reveals expiratory crackles (fluid accumulation d/t worsening heart failure or pulmonary edema).
What is metoprolol?
This form of heart failure is characterized by a normal ejection fraction but involves the heart's inability to relax and fill properly, often due to stiffening of the left ventricle.
What is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)?
Despite a normal ejection fraction, patients with HFpEF experience symptoms similar to those with heart failure.
Duplex ultrasound, magnetic resonance venography (MRV) and CT venography - provide images of the veins to detect blood clots and assess function of vein valves.
What are tests that help doctors diagnose venous insufficiency?