GNRS 555 Cardiovascular Practice Tests
Questions With Complete Solutions
A 19-year-old has a mandatory electrocardiogram
(ECG) before participating on a college swim team
and is found to have sinus bradycardia, rate 52. BP
is 114/54, and the student denies any health
problems. What action by the nurse is appropriate?
A. Allow the student to participate on the swim
team.
B. Refer the student to a cardiologist for further
assessment.
C. Obtain more detailed information about the
student's health history.
D. Tell the student to stop swimming immediately
if any dyspnea occurs. Correct Answers A. Allow
the student to participate on the swim team.
In an aerobically trained individual, sinus
bradycardia is normal. The student's normal BP
and negative health history indicate that there is
no need for a cardiology referral or for more
detailed information about the health history.
Dyspnea during an aerobic activity such as
swimming is normal.
A 21-year-old student arrives at the student health
center at the end of the quarter complaining that,
"My heart is skipping beats." An electrocardiogram
,(ECG) shows occasional premature ventricular
contractions (PVCs). What action should the nurse
take first?
A. Have the patient transported to the hospital
emergency department (ED).
B. Administer O2 at 2 to 3 L/min using nasal
prongs.
C. Ask the patient about any history of coronary
artery disease.
D. Question the patient about current stress level
and coffee use. Correct Answers D. Question the
patient about current stress level and coffee use.
In a patient with a normal heart, occasional PVCs
are a benign finding. The timing of the PVCs
suggests stress or caffeine as possible etiologic
factors. It is unlikely that the patient has coronary
artery disease, and this should not be the first
question the nurse asks. The patient is
hemodynamically stable, so there is no indication
that the patient needs to be seen in the ED or that
oxygen needs to be administered.
A 21-year-old woman is scheduled for
percutaneous transluminal balloon valvuloplasty to
treat mitral stenosis. When explaining the
advantage of valvuloplasty instead of valve
replacement to the patient, which information will
the nurse include?
,A. Biologic replacement valves require the use of
immunosuppressive drugs.
B. Mechanical mitral valves require replacement
approximately every 5 years.
C. Lifelong anticoagulant therapy is needed after
mechanical valve replacement.
D. Ongoing cardiac care by a health care provider
is unnecessary after valvuloplasty. Correct
Answers C. Lifelong anticoagulant therapy is
needed after mechanical valve replacement.
A 42-year-old service-counter worker undergoes
sclerotherapy for treatment of superficial varicose
veins at an outpatient center. Before discharging
the patient, the nurse teaches the patient that:
A. sitting at the work counter, rather than standing,
is recommended.
B. compression stockings should be applied before
getting out of bed.
C. exercises such as walking or jogging cause
recurrence of varicosities.
D. taking one aspirin daily will help prevent
clotting around venous valves. Correct Answers B.
compression stockings should be applied before
getting out of bed.
A 46-year-old is diagnosed with thromboangiitis
obliterans (Buerger's disease). When the nurse is
, planning expected outcomes for the patient, which
outcome has the highest priority for this patient?
A. Cessation of smoking
B. Control of serum lipid levels
C. Maintenance of appropriate weight
D. Demonstration of meticulous foot care Correct
Answers A. Cessation of smoking
A few days after an acute myocardial infarction
(MI), a patient complains of stabbing chest pain
that increases with deep breathing. Which action
will the nurse take first?
A. Auscultate the heart sounds.
B. Check the patient's oral temperature.
C. Notify the patient's health care provider.
D. Give the ordered acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Correct Answers A. Auscultate the heart sounds.
To check for suspected pericarditis
A patient develops sinus bradycardia at a rate of
32 beats/minute, has a BP of 80/36 mm Hg, and is
complaining of feeling faint. Which action should
the nurse take?
A. Continue to monitor the rhythm and BP.
B. Apply the transcutaneous pacemaker (TCP).
C. Have the patient perform the Valsalva
maneuver.
Questions With Complete Solutions
A 19-year-old has a mandatory electrocardiogram
(ECG) before participating on a college swim team
and is found to have sinus bradycardia, rate 52. BP
is 114/54, and the student denies any health
problems. What action by the nurse is appropriate?
A. Allow the student to participate on the swim
team.
B. Refer the student to a cardiologist for further
assessment.
C. Obtain more detailed information about the
student's health history.
D. Tell the student to stop swimming immediately
if any dyspnea occurs. Correct Answers A. Allow
the student to participate on the swim team.
In an aerobically trained individual, sinus
bradycardia is normal. The student's normal BP
and negative health history indicate that there is
no need for a cardiology referral or for more
detailed information about the health history.
Dyspnea during an aerobic activity such as
swimming is normal.
A 21-year-old student arrives at the student health
center at the end of the quarter complaining that,
"My heart is skipping beats." An electrocardiogram
,(ECG) shows occasional premature ventricular
contractions (PVCs). What action should the nurse
take first?
A. Have the patient transported to the hospital
emergency department (ED).
B. Administer O2 at 2 to 3 L/min using nasal
prongs.
C. Ask the patient about any history of coronary
artery disease.
D. Question the patient about current stress level
and coffee use. Correct Answers D. Question the
patient about current stress level and coffee use.
In a patient with a normal heart, occasional PVCs
are a benign finding. The timing of the PVCs
suggests stress or caffeine as possible etiologic
factors. It is unlikely that the patient has coronary
artery disease, and this should not be the first
question the nurse asks. The patient is
hemodynamically stable, so there is no indication
that the patient needs to be seen in the ED or that
oxygen needs to be administered.
A 21-year-old woman is scheduled for
percutaneous transluminal balloon valvuloplasty to
treat mitral stenosis. When explaining the
advantage of valvuloplasty instead of valve
replacement to the patient, which information will
the nurse include?
,A. Biologic replacement valves require the use of
immunosuppressive drugs.
B. Mechanical mitral valves require replacement
approximately every 5 years.
C. Lifelong anticoagulant therapy is needed after
mechanical valve replacement.
D. Ongoing cardiac care by a health care provider
is unnecessary after valvuloplasty. Correct
Answers C. Lifelong anticoagulant therapy is
needed after mechanical valve replacement.
A 42-year-old service-counter worker undergoes
sclerotherapy for treatment of superficial varicose
veins at an outpatient center. Before discharging
the patient, the nurse teaches the patient that:
A. sitting at the work counter, rather than standing,
is recommended.
B. compression stockings should be applied before
getting out of bed.
C. exercises such as walking or jogging cause
recurrence of varicosities.
D. taking one aspirin daily will help prevent
clotting around venous valves. Correct Answers B.
compression stockings should be applied before
getting out of bed.
A 46-year-old is diagnosed with thromboangiitis
obliterans (Buerger's disease). When the nurse is
, planning expected outcomes for the patient, which
outcome has the highest priority for this patient?
A. Cessation of smoking
B. Control of serum lipid levels
C. Maintenance of appropriate weight
D. Demonstration of meticulous foot care Correct
Answers A. Cessation of smoking
A few days after an acute myocardial infarction
(MI), a patient complains of stabbing chest pain
that increases with deep breathing. Which action
will the nurse take first?
A. Auscultate the heart sounds.
B. Check the patient's oral temperature.
C. Notify the patient's health care provider.
D. Give the ordered acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Correct Answers A. Auscultate the heart sounds.
To check for suspected pericarditis
A patient develops sinus bradycardia at a rate of
32 beats/minute, has a BP of 80/36 mm Hg, and is
complaining of feeling faint. Which action should
the nurse take?
A. Continue to monitor the rhythm and BP.
B. Apply the transcutaneous pacemaker (TCP).
C. Have the patient perform the Valsalva
maneuver.
