NUR 325 - Exam 1 (Cardiac) Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2026/2027
Backflow of blood caused by poor valve function - Answers Regurgitation
Reduced blood flow from the L Atrium to the L Ventricle is known as - Answers Mitral Stenosis
Narrowing from the L Ventricle to the Aorta is known as - Answers Aortic Stenosis
The degree of stretch at the end of diastole (how much blood is in the ventricles) is known as -
Answers Preload
An increase in fluids will __________ preload, and a decrease in fluids will ___________ preload -
Answers An increase in fluids will increase preload, and a decrease in fluids will decrease
preload
From the Quiz: Vasodilators decrease preload
The resistance to eject blood from the ventricles is known as - Answers Afterload
Hypertension and vasoconstriction have what effect on Afterload? - Answers HTN and
vasoconstriction will INCREASE afterload (increased afterload raises cardiac workload as well)
The strength of myocardial muscle fibers shortening during systole is also known as - Answers
Contractility (how effectively the heart can squeeze out blood)
How are preload and contractility related? - Answers Optimal filling allows for maximum
stretching
What could the nurse give a patient to increase their contractility? - Answers Epinephrine,
Digoxin, Dopamine
What could the nurse give a patient to decrease their contractility? - Answers Beta-blocker (the
"lol" meds)
What symptoms might the nurse see in a patient who isn't perfusing well? - Answers Dyspnea,
hypotension, angina, and a few others depending on the EKG
What are the life-threatening dysrhythmias? - Answers V Tach, V Fib, and Asystole (Torsades
too but that's basically V tach)
What is the first thing the nurse should do if they see a life threatening rhythm on a patient's
EKG? - Answers Assess the patient (Did a lead fall off? Does the patient show signs of
decreased CO? Are they responsive? Pulses?)
The patient is in V Tach but has a pulse, how can we treat this? - Answers We give amiodarone
or lidocaine, and use cardioversion (because they have a pulse)
, The patient is in V Tach but does NOT have a pulse, how do we treat this? - Answers CPR and
Defibrillation
Torsades de Pointes is often caused by what what electrolyte imbalance? - Answers
Hypomagnesium
How do we treat Torsades? - Answers CPR and Defibrillate (same as pulseless V Tach)
The patient is in V Fib, what do we do? - Answers CPR/ACLS, Defibrillate, Drug therapy
What drugs can we give to a patient in V Fib? - Answers Epinephrine, Vasopressin, Amiodarone,
Lidocaine
I can defibrillate the patient if they have what dysrhythmias? - Answers Pulseless V Tach, and V
Fib
The patient is a candidate for Synchronized Cardioversion if they have what dysrhythmias? -
Answers V Tach (WITH A PULSE), SVT, A Fib, and A Flutter
You're performing synchronized cardioversion on the patient and they go pulseless, what do you
do? - Answers Turn the sync button off and defibrillate
Should we sedate a patient prior to cardioversion - Answers Yes but only if they're stable
This implantable device monitors the heart and delivers shocks if needed - Answers Implantable
Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)
(Pacemakers emit electrical signals to ensure a steady and rhythmic heartbeat, ICD's deliver
shocks when dangerous rhythms are detected)
The patient is asystolic, what do you do? - Answers CPR/ACLS, drug therapy, intubate
What drugs do we give if the patient is in asystole? - Answers Epinephrine and/or vasopressin
The patient shows activity on their EKG but has no pulse, this is known as - Answers Pulseless
Electrical Activity (PEA)
3 or more premature ventricular contractions in a row is considered ___________ - Answers V
Tach
A PVC at every other QRS is known as?
A PVC at every 3rd QRS is known as?
2 PVC's in a row is known as? - Answers A PVC at every other QRS is known as BIGEMINY
Backflow of blood caused by poor valve function - Answers Regurgitation
Reduced blood flow from the L Atrium to the L Ventricle is known as - Answers Mitral Stenosis
Narrowing from the L Ventricle to the Aorta is known as - Answers Aortic Stenosis
The degree of stretch at the end of diastole (how much blood is in the ventricles) is known as -
Answers Preload
An increase in fluids will __________ preload, and a decrease in fluids will ___________ preload -
Answers An increase in fluids will increase preload, and a decrease in fluids will decrease
preload
From the Quiz: Vasodilators decrease preload
The resistance to eject blood from the ventricles is known as - Answers Afterload
Hypertension and vasoconstriction have what effect on Afterload? - Answers HTN and
vasoconstriction will INCREASE afterload (increased afterload raises cardiac workload as well)
The strength of myocardial muscle fibers shortening during systole is also known as - Answers
Contractility (how effectively the heart can squeeze out blood)
How are preload and contractility related? - Answers Optimal filling allows for maximum
stretching
What could the nurse give a patient to increase their contractility? - Answers Epinephrine,
Digoxin, Dopamine
What could the nurse give a patient to decrease their contractility? - Answers Beta-blocker (the
"lol" meds)
What symptoms might the nurse see in a patient who isn't perfusing well? - Answers Dyspnea,
hypotension, angina, and a few others depending on the EKG
What are the life-threatening dysrhythmias? - Answers V Tach, V Fib, and Asystole (Torsades
too but that's basically V tach)
What is the first thing the nurse should do if they see a life threatening rhythm on a patient's
EKG? - Answers Assess the patient (Did a lead fall off? Does the patient show signs of
decreased CO? Are they responsive? Pulses?)
The patient is in V Tach but has a pulse, how can we treat this? - Answers We give amiodarone
or lidocaine, and use cardioversion (because they have a pulse)
, The patient is in V Tach but does NOT have a pulse, how do we treat this? - Answers CPR and
Defibrillation
Torsades de Pointes is often caused by what what electrolyte imbalance? - Answers
Hypomagnesium
How do we treat Torsades? - Answers CPR and Defibrillate (same as pulseless V Tach)
The patient is in V Fib, what do we do? - Answers CPR/ACLS, Defibrillate, Drug therapy
What drugs can we give to a patient in V Fib? - Answers Epinephrine, Vasopressin, Amiodarone,
Lidocaine
I can defibrillate the patient if they have what dysrhythmias? - Answers Pulseless V Tach, and V
Fib
The patient is a candidate for Synchronized Cardioversion if they have what dysrhythmias? -
Answers V Tach (WITH A PULSE), SVT, A Fib, and A Flutter
You're performing synchronized cardioversion on the patient and they go pulseless, what do you
do? - Answers Turn the sync button off and defibrillate
Should we sedate a patient prior to cardioversion - Answers Yes but only if they're stable
This implantable device monitors the heart and delivers shocks if needed - Answers Implantable
Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)
(Pacemakers emit electrical signals to ensure a steady and rhythmic heartbeat, ICD's deliver
shocks when dangerous rhythms are detected)
The patient is asystolic, what do you do? - Answers CPR/ACLS, drug therapy, intubate
What drugs do we give if the patient is in asystole? - Answers Epinephrine and/or vasopressin
The patient shows activity on their EKG but has no pulse, this is known as - Answers Pulseless
Electrical Activity (PEA)
3 or more premature ventricular contractions in a row is considered ___________ - Answers V
Tach
A PVC at every other QRS is known as?
A PVC at every 3rd QRS is known as?
2 PVC's in a row is known as? - Answers A PVC at every other QRS is known as BIGEMINY
