Cardiac Assessment
This is the standard anatomical location for listening to the apex of the heart, also known as the Point of Maximal Impulse.
What is the 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line?
Or what is the Apical PulseThis term describes the volume of blood in the ventricles at the end of diastole, often called the “stretch” on the heart muscle.
What is preload?
This class of medications, including metoprolol and atenolol, blocks beta-adrenergic receptors to decrease heart rate and blood pressure.
What are beta-blockers?
This procedure uses a catheter with a balloon to compress plaque against the artery wall, restoring blood flow in a coronary artery.
What is percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or angioplasty?
This is the medical term for chest pain caused by an imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand.
What is angina pectoris?
This term describes turbulent blood flow through a stenotic or regurgitant valve, heard as a “whooshing” sound.
What is a heart murmur?
This term describes the resistance the ventricles must overcome to eject blood, largely determined by systemic vascular resistance.
What is afterload?
This common loop diuretic, often called a “water pill,” reduces fluid volume and preload in patients with heart failure.
What is furosemide, or Lasix?
This is the priority nursing actions for a patient experiencing an acute episode of chest pain. (Name 1 priority action)
What is assess the patient, obtain vital signs, and administer oxygen and sublingual nitroglycerin as ordered?
This chronic condition is characterized by the heart’s inability to pump effectively, leading to symptoms of fluid overload such as edema and shortness of breath.
What is heart failure?
This is the medical term for the swishing sound heard over an artery, often the carotid, which can indicate atherosclerosis.
What is a bruit?
A patient with left-sided heart failure often presents with these classic respiratory findings. (Give 1)
What are crackles and dyspnea?
This “stat” medication is a potent vasodilator given sublingually to relieve angina by rapidly reducing preload and afterload.
What is nitroglycerin?
This surgical procedure uses a graft, often the saphenous vein or internal mammary artery, to bypass blocked coronary arteries.
What is coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)?
This acute coronary syndrome occurs when a coronary artery is completely blocked, leading to irreversible damage to the heart muscle.
What is a myocardial infarction, or heart attack?
This classic triad of hypotension, distended neck veins, and muffled heart sounds is a key indicator of this life-threatening condition.
What is Beck’s Triad, indicating cardiac tamponade?
This cluster of signs—JVD, peripheral edema, and hepatomegaly—is most characteristic of this type of heart failure.
What is right-sided heart failure?
This anticoagulant, derived from a specific plant, requires monitoring of the INR and is reversed by Vitamin K.
What is warfarin, or Coumadin?
This is a critical post-procedure nursing assessment for a patient who had a cardiac catheterization via the femoral artery.
What is monitor the insertion site for bleeding or hematoma and assess the affected extremity’s pulses, color, warmth, and sensation?
This complication of an MI occurs 1–3 days after the event and is characterized by pleuritic chest pain, fever, and a pericardial friction rub.
What is pericarditis, or post-MI pericarditis?
A patient with heart failure reports waking at night feeling suddenly short of breath and must sit up to breathe. What is this symptom called?
What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND)?
This invasive hemodynamic assessment and intervention catheter is used in what operating room to open up blocked coronary blood vessels?
What is the cath lab?
This class of medications, including lisinopril and enalapril, is a first-line treatment for heart failure and hypertension but requires monitoring for a dry cough and hyperkalemia.
What are ACE inhibitors?
This blood test is the most specific and sensitive indicator of myocardial damage and is used to diagnose an acute myocardial infarction.
What is a troponin level?
This life-threatening complication after a large MI is characterized by severe hypotension, cool clammy extremities, oliguria, and altered mental status due to inadequate tissue perfusion.
What is cardiogenic shock?