NUR 145 Chapter 25 Assessment of
Cardiovascular Function Questions and
Answers
For both outpatients and inpatients scheduled for diagnostic procedures of the
cardiovascular system, the nurse performs a thorough initial assessment to establish
accurate baseline data. Which of the following data is necessary to collect if the patient
is experiencing chest pain?
A. Pulse rate in upper extremities
B. Blood pressure in the left arm
C. Description of the pain
D. Sound of the apical pulses ✅description of the pain
A history of its location, frequency, and duration is necessary.
For a client who has undergone peripheral arteriography, how should the nurse assess
the adequacy of peripheral circulation?
A. Observing the client for bleeding
B. Checking for cardiac dysrhythmias
C. Checking peripheral pulses
D. Hemodynamic monitoring ✅c. Checking peripheral pulses
During auscultation of the lungs, what would a nurse note when assessing a client with
left-sided heart failure?
A. High pitched sounds
B. Wheezes with wet lung sounds
C. Laboring breathing
D. Stridor ✅b. Wheezes with wet lung sounds
During auscultation of the heart, what is revealed by an atrial gallop?
A. Turbulent blood flow
B. Heart failure
C. Htn heart disease
D. Diseased heart valves ✅c. Htn heart disease
An extra sounds just before s1 is an s4 heart sound, or atrial gallop. An s4 sounds often
is associated with hypertensive heart disease.
Which term describes the ability of the heart to initiate an electrical impulse?
A. Automaticity
B. Excitability
C. Contractility
D. Conductivity ✅a. Automaticity
, The ability of specialized electrical cells of the cardiac conduction system to initiate
electrical impulse.
The nurse auscultates the apex beat at which anatomical location?
A. 5 cm to the left of the lower end of the sternum
B. Midsternum
C. 2.5 cm to the left of the xiphoid process
D. Fifth intercoastal space, midclavicular line ✅d. Fifth intercoastal space,
midclavicular line
The left ventricle is responsible for the apex beat or the point of maximum impulse,
which is normally palpable in the left midclavicular line of the chest wall at the fifth
intercoastal space.
Which term describes the amount of blood ejected per heartbeat?
A. Ejection fraction
B. Stroke volume
C. Afterload
D. Cardiac output ✅stroke volume
Determined by preload, afterload, and contractibility of the heart.
Central venous pressure is measured in which chamber of the heart?
A. R ventricle
B. L atrium
C. R atrium
D. L ventricle ✅r atrium
When the balloon on the distal tip of a pulmonary artery catheter is inflated and the
pressure is measured, the measurement obtained is referred to as the
A. Pulmonary artery pressure
B. Central venous pressure
C. Pulmonary artery wedge pressure
D. Cardiac output ✅c. Pulmonary artery wedge pressure
The nurse uses which term for the normal pacemaker of the heart?
A. Bundle of his
B. Av node
C. Sa node
D. Purkinje fibers ✅c. Sa node
What is the term for the ability of the cardiac muscle to shorten in response to an
electrical impulse?
A. Depolarization
B. Repolarization
Cardiovascular Function Questions and
Answers
For both outpatients and inpatients scheduled for diagnostic procedures of the
cardiovascular system, the nurse performs a thorough initial assessment to establish
accurate baseline data. Which of the following data is necessary to collect if the patient
is experiencing chest pain?
A. Pulse rate in upper extremities
B. Blood pressure in the left arm
C. Description of the pain
D. Sound of the apical pulses ✅description of the pain
A history of its location, frequency, and duration is necessary.
For a client who has undergone peripheral arteriography, how should the nurse assess
the adequacy of peripheral circulation?
A. Observing the client for bleeding
B. Checking for cardiac dysrhythmias
C. Checking peripheral pulses
D. Hemodynamic monitoring ✅c. Checking peripheral pulses
During auscultation of the lungs, what would a nurse note when assessing a client with
left-sided heart failure?
A. High pitched sounds
B. Wheezes with wet lung sounds
C. Laboring breathing
D. Stridor ✅b. Wheezes with wet lung sounds
During auscultation of the heart, what is revealed by an atrial gallop?
A. Turbulent blood flow
B. Heart failure
C. Htn heart disease
D. Diseased heart valves ✅c. Htn heart disease
An extra sounds just before s1 is an s4 heart sound, or atrial gallop. An s4 sounds often
is associated with hypertensive heart disease.
Which term describes the ability of the heart to initiate an electrical impulse?
A. Automaticity
B. Excitability
C. Contractility
D. Conductivity ✅a. Automaticity
, The ability of specialized electrical cells of the cardiac conduction system to initiate
electrical impulse.
The nurse auscultates the apex beat at which anatomical location?
A. 5 cm to the left of the lower end of the sternum
B. Midsternum
C. 2.5 cm to the left of the xiphoid process
D. Fifth intercoastal space, midclavicular line ✅d. Fifth intercoastal space,
midclavicular line
The left ventricle is responsible for the apex beat or the point of maximum impulse,
which is normally palpable in the left midclavicular line of the chest wall at the fifth
intercoastal space.
Which term describes the amount of blood ejected per heartbeat?
A. Ejection fraction
B. Stroke volume
C. Afterload
D. Cardiac output ✅stroke volume
Determined by preload, afterload, and contractibility of the heart.
Central venous pressure is measured in which chamber of the heart?
A. R ventricle
B. L atrium
C. R atrium
D. L ventricle ✅r atrium
When the balloon on the distal tip of a pulmonary artery catheter is inflated and the
pressure is measured, the measurement obtained is referred to as the
A. Pulmonary artery pressure
B. Central venous pressure
C. Pulmonary artery wedge pressure
D. Cardiac output ✅c. Pulmonary artery wedge pressure
The nurse uses which term for the normal pacemaker of the heart?
A. Bundle of his
B. Av node
C. Sa node
D. Purkinje fibers ✅c. Sa node
What is the term for the ability of the cardiac muscle to shorten in response to an
electrical impulse?
A. Depolarization
B. Repolarization
