Questions and CORRECT Answers
Chest Pain AKA Angina Patho - CORRECT ANSWER - Patho: Chest pain associated
with decreased blood flow or ischemia to the myocardial tissue.
Chest pain PA - CORRECT ANSWER - Physical Assessment: chest heaviness
Pressure
Squeezing
Fullness
Pain radiates to left shoulder, arm, or jaw.
Elevation of blood pressure during attack
Chest pain Pharm - CORRECT ANSWER - Pharm: Nitroglycerin- relaxes and widens
blood vessels
Dosing: 0.3-0.6mg every 5 minutes for max of 3 doses
Long-term treatment to consider: ACE Inhibitors & Beta-Blockers
Chest pain risks - CORRECT ANSWER - Risks and complications: Acute Coronary
Syndrome
Myocardial Infarction - CORRECT ANSWER - blood flow to the heart is minimized.
Buildup of cholesterol
MI Patho - CORRECT ANSWER - imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and
demand
Prolonged for greater than 30 minutes can lead to cardiac tissue death.
MI PA - CORRECT ANSWER - Pain at rest
,Not relieved with nitro
Lightheaded
Impending doom
Nausea
Diaphoresis
Wheezing
MI Dx - CORRECT ANSWER - Troponins elevated, often stay elevated for one week
after infarction.
EKG- ST elevation or new left bundle branch block
Atherosclerosis - CORRECT ANSWER - when blood vessels that carry oxygen to organs
and tissues is restricted.
Hardening of vessels from buildup of fats, cholesterol in the artery walls
Happens gradually.
Formed plaque can break off and burst, triggering a blood clot.
Atherosclerosis patho - CORRECT ANSWER - inflammatory process that begins with
damage to the endothelium often result of HTN, smoking, high cholesterol, or other risk factors.
Fatty streak to fibrous plaque and then complicated lesion
Atherosclerosis PA - CORRECT ANSWER - modifiable risk factors
Fluid retention
Fatigue
Neck vein distension
Edema
Calf pain
Atherosclerosis Dx - CORRECT ANSWER - Dx: Stress tests
, Chest Xray
EKG
Ankle-Brachial Index to assess blood pressure in the extremities.
Atherosclerosis Pharm - CORRECT ANSWER - Pharm: Antiplatelets (Aspirin)
Statins- reduce inflammation.
ACE Inhibitor- relax blood pressure and reduce work and pressure on heart.
Can be treated with lifestyle management.
Heart Failure - CORRECT ANSWER - complex clinical syndrome that results from
structural or functional impairment of ventricular or ejection of blood, which in turn leads to the
cardinal clinical symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue, edema, and rales.
Heart Failure PA - CORRECT ANSWER - Pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, liver
failure, renal disease, anemia.
Dyspnea on exertion, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND), nocturnal angina,
Cheyne-Stokes respirations (ask families or caretaker)
Fatigue, lethargy, decreased functional capacityPatient takes medications as directed, observing,
and adhering to dietary requirements.
Alcohol or tobacco use
History of rheumatic heart disease or Chaga's disease
Discomfort when laying down.
Hypertension
Tachycardia
HF Dx - CORRECT ANSWER - CBC, electrolytes, BUN, serum creatinine, hepatic
enzymes, and a urinalysis to screen for diabetes mellitus
Fasting lipid panel and TSH
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-Terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) are released from a
failing heart and a sensitive marker for the presence of HF