Cardiac Basics & Assessment
This "big momma pumper" is the chamber of the heart responsible for pumping oxygenated blood out to the entire body.
What is the Left Ventricle?
These are the two hallmark clinical manifestations specifically associated with Left-sided heart failure.
What are crackles in the lungs and dyspnea (or orthopnea)?
A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher is classified as this stage of hypertension.
What is Stage 2 Hypertension?
Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) often experience this type of ischemic pain that occurs during exercise and is relieved by rest.
What is Intermittent Claudication?
To prevent VTE in a post-operative patient, the nurse should encourage early and frequent _________.
What is Ambulation?
This is the correct anatomical sequence of blood flow through the heart, starting from the Vena Cava.
What is Right Atrium → Tricuspid Valve → Right Ventricle → Pulmonary Valve → Lungs → Left Atrium → Mitral Valve → Left Ventricle → Aorta?
This mnemonic "ROCKS the BODY with fluid" describes symptoms like JVD, peripheral edema, and ascites.
What is Right-sided heart failure?
This term describes the "bad" cholesterol that thickens arterial walls, and this term describes the "good" cholesterol.
What are LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) and HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein)?
This type of ulcer is typically found on the toes or heels, appears "punched out" with well-defined edges, and is often very painful with little to no drainage.
What is an Arterial Ulcer?
These "Three Es" are the non-surgical management pillars for patients with Venous Insufficiency/Varicose Veins.
What are Elevation, Exercise, and Elastic Compression (Stockings)?
This term describes the percentage of blood ejected from the heart with each beat; a normal value is typically 50-70%.
What is Ejection Fraction (EF)?
This specific position (Head of Bed at 45 degrees or higher) is the priority nursing intervention for a patient in a pulmonary edema crisis.
What is Semi-Fowler’s or High-Fowler’s position?
This type of hypertension is caused by a specific underlying disease process, such as renal failure or endocrine disorders.
What is Secondary Hypertension?
This specific skin color change occurs in PAD when the leg is elevated (turning pale) and then lowered (turning a deep reddish-blue).
What is Dependent Rubor?
This is the most feared complication of a DVT.
What is a Pulmonary Embolism?
To calculate a patient’s smoking history in "pack-years," you use this mathematical formula.
What is the number of packs smoked per day multiplied by the number of years smoked?
This laboratory value is often elevated in patients with heart failure because it is released by the ventricles in response to volume expansion and pressure overload.
What is B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP)?
This is the priority nursing intervention if a patient with continuous bladder irrigation (CBI) is voiding significantly less than the amount of fluid being instilled.
What is to stop the flow of the irrigation?
An ABI value of this or less is typically considered diagnostic for PAD.
What is 0.90?
This imaging study uses sound waves to visualize blood flow and identify blockages or valve incompetence in the veins and arteries.
What is a Duplex Ultrasound?
According to the "Life’s Simple 7" from the AHA, these are the seven key factors for maintaining cardiovascular health
What are: Don't smoke, maintain healthy weight, engage in regular activity, eat a healthy diet, manage blood pressure, take charge of cholesterol, and keep glucose at healthy levels?
In systolic heart failure, the heart fails because of this specific mechanical issue, whereas in diastolic failure, the issue is related to this.
What is impaired contraction (pumping) and impaired relaxation (filling)?
This is the primary difference between arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis.
What is: Arteriosclerosis is the general thickening/hardening of arterial walls, while Atherosclerosis is a specific type involving plaque buildup?
If a PAD patient develops a "Cold, Blue, Pulseless" limb suddenly, the nurse should suspect this medical emergency.
What is Acute Arterial Occlusion?
These are the three components of "Virchow’s Triad" that significantly increase the risk for developing a DVT.
What are Endothelial injury, Venous stasis (stagnant blood flow), and Hypercoagulability?