NR 507 Week 3 Quiz QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

NR 507 Week 3 Quiz QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q1. A 72-year-old woman with a recent onset of syncopal episodes has been referred to a cardiology group by her family physician. As part of the patient's diagnostic workup, the nurse practitioner conducting the intake assessment has ordered a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Which of the following statements best captures an aspect of Holter monitoring? (Points : 0.4) A Holter monitor is preferable to start ECG due to its increased sensitivity to cardiac electrical activity. The primary goal is to allow the cardiologist to accurately diagnose cardiomyopathies. Accurate interpretation of the results requires correlating the findings with the activity that the woman was doing at the time of recording. Holter monitors are normally set to record electrical activity of the heart at least once per hour. Q.2.2. As part of the diagnostic workup for a male patient with a complex history of cardiovascular disease, the care team has identified the need for a record of the electrical activity of his heart, insight into the metabolism of his myocardium, & physical measurements, & imaging of his heart. Which of the following series of tests is most likely to provide the needed data for his diagnosis & care? (Points : 0.4) Echocardiogram, PET scan, ECG Ambulatory ECG, cardiac MRI, echocardiogram Q. 3.3. An 81-year-old female patient of a long-term care facility has a history of congestive heart failure. The nurse practitioner caring for the patient has positioned her sitting up at an angle in bed & is observing her jugular venous distention. Why is jugular venous distention a useful indicator for the assessment of the patient's condition? (Points : 0.4) Increased cardiac dem& causes engorgement of systemic blood vessels, of which the jugular vein is one of the largest. Blood backs up into the jugular vein because there are no valves at the point of entry into the heart. Peripheral dilation is associated with decreased stroke volume & ejection fraction. Heart valves are not capable of preventing backflow in cases of atrial congestion. Q. 4.4. A physical assessment of a 28-year-old female patient indicates that her blood pressure in her legs is lower than that in her arms & that her brachial pulse is weaker in her left arm than in her right. In addition, her femoral pulses are weak bilaterally. Which of the following possibilities would her care provider be most likely to suspect? (Points : 0.4) Pheochromocytoma Essential hypertension Coarctation of the aorta An adrenocortical disorder Q. 5.5. A 6-year-old boy has been brought to the emergency department by ambulance after his mother discovered that his heart rate was “so fast I couldn't even count it.” The child was determined to be in atrial flutter & his mother is seeking an explanation from the health care team. Which of the following points should underlie an explanation to the mother? (Points : 0.4) The child is experiencing a reentry rhythm in his right atrium. The resolution of the problem is dependent on spontaneous recovery & is resistant to pacing interventions. The child is likely to have a normal ECG apart from the rapid heart rate. The boy's atria are experiencing abnormal sympathetic stimulation. Q. 6.6. A 66-year-old patient's echocardiogram reveals a hypertrophied left ventricle, normal chamber volume, & a normal ejection fraction from the heart. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Mitral valve regurgitation Aortic valve stenosis Mitral valve stenosis Aortic valve regurgitation Q. 7.7. A 70-year-old male patient presents to the emergency department complaining of pain in his calf that is exacerbated when he walks. His pedal & popliteal pulses are faintly palpable & his leg distal to the pain is noticeably reddened. What would his care provider's preliminary diagnosis & anticipated treatment most likely be?(Points : 0.4) Acute arterial occlusion that will be treated with angioplasty Raynaud disease that will require antiplatelet medications Atherosclerotic occlusive disease necessitating thrombolytic therapy Giant cell temporal arteritis that will be treated with corticosteroids Q. 8.8. A patient in the intensive care unit has a blood pressure of 87/39 & has warm, flushed skin accompanying his sudden decline in level of consciousness. The patient also has arterial & venous dilation & a decrease in systemic vascular resistance. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Hypovolemic shock Septic shock Neurogenic shock Obstructive shock Q. 9.9. A 31-year-old woman with a congenital heart defect reports episodes of lightheadedness & syncope, with occasional palpitations. A resting electrocardiogram reveals sinus bradycardia & she is suspected of having sick sinus syndrome. Which of the following diagnostic methods is the best choice to investigate the suspicion? (Points : 0.4) Signal-averaged ECG Exercise stress testing Electrophysiologic study Holter monitoring Q. 10.10. A nurse practitioner is providing care for several patients on a medical unit of a hospital. In which of the following patient situations would the nurse practitioner be most likely to rule out hypertension as a contributing factor? (Points : 0.4) A 61-year-old man who has a heart valve infection & recurrent fever An 81-year-old woman who has had an ischemic stroke & has consequent one-sided weakness A 44-year-old man awaiting a kidney transplant who requires hemodialysis three times per week A 66-year-old woman with poorly controlled angina & consequent limited activity tolerance Q. 11.11. A patient is experiencing impaired circulation secondary to increased systemic arterial pressure. Which of the following statements is the most relevant phenomenon?(Points : 0.4) Increased preload due to vascular resistance High afterload because of backpressure against the lef t ventricle Impaired contractility due to aortic resistance Systolic impairment because of arterial stenosis Q. 12.12. A number of patients have presented to the emergency department in the last 24 hours with complaints that are preliminarily indicative of myocardial infarction. Which of the following patients is least likely to have an ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI)? (Points : 0.4) A 70-year-old woman who is complaining of shortness of breath & vague chest discomfort A 66-year-old man who has presented with fatigue, nausea & vomiting, & cool, moist skin A 43-year-old man who woke up with substernal pain that is radiating to his neck & jaw A 71-year-old man who has moist skin, fever, & chest pain that is excruciating when he moves but relieved when at rest Q. 13.13. A formerly normotensive woman, pregnant for the first time, develops hypertension & headaches at 26 weeks' gestation. Her blood pressure is 154/110 mm Hg & she has proteinuria. What other labs should be ordered for her? (Points : 0.4) Plasma angiotensin I & II & renin Urinary sodium & potassium Platelet count, serum creatinine, & liver enzymes Urinary catecholamines & metabolites Q. 14.14. An older adult female patient has presented with a new onset of shortness of breath, & the patient's nurse practitioner has ordered measurement of her BNP levels along with other diagnostic tests. What is the most accurate rationale for the nurse practitioner's choice of blood work? (Points : 0.4) BNP is released as a compensatory mechanism during heart failure & measuring it can help differentiate the patient's dyspnea from a respiratory pathology. BNP is an indirect indicator of the effectiveness of the RAA system in compensating for heart failure. BNP levels correlate with the patient's risk of developing cognitive deficits secondary to heart failure & consequent brain hypoxia. BNP becomes elevated in cases of cardiac asthma, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, & acute pulmonary edema, & measurement can gauge the severity of pulmonary effects. Q. 15.15. The nurse practitioner for a cardiology practice is responsible for providing presurgical teaching for patients who are about to undergo a coronary artery bypass graft. Which of the following teaching points best conveys an aspect of the human circulatory system? (Points : 0.4) “Your blood pressure varies widely between arteries & veins, & between pulmonary & systemic circulation.” “Only around one quarter of your blood is in your heart at any given time.” “Blood pressure & blood volume roughly mimic one another at any given location in the circulatory system.” “Left-sided & right-sided pumping action at each beat of the heart must equal each other to ensure adequate blood distribution.” Q. 16.16. A 54-year-old man with a long-st&ing diagnosis of essential hypertension is meeting with his nurse practitioner. The patient's nurse practitioner would anticipate that which of the following phenomena is most likely occurring? (Points : 0.4) The patient's juxtaglomerular cells are releasing aldosterone as a result of sympathetic stimulation. Epinephrine from his adrenal gl& is initiating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Vasopressin is exerting an effect on his chemoreceptors & baroreceptors, resulting in vasoconstriction. The conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in his lungs causes increases in blood pressure & sodium reabsorption. Q. 17.17. A 22-year-old male is experiencing hypovolemic shock following a fight in which his carotid artery was cut with a broken bottle. What immediate treatments are likely to most benefit the man? (Points : 0.4) Resolution of compensatory pulmonary edema & heart arrhythmias Infusion of vasodilators to foster perfusion & inotropes to improve heart contractility Infusion of normal saline of Ringer lactate to maintain the vascular space Administration of oxygen & epinephrine to promote perfusion Q. 18.18. A 66-year-old obese man with a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease has been diagnosed with heart failure that his care team has characterized as attributable to systolic dysfunction. Which of the following assessment findings is inconsistent with his diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) His resting blood pressure is normally in the range of 150/90 & an echocardiogram indicates his ejection fraction is 30%. His end-diastolic volume is higher than normal & his resting heart rate is regular & 82 beats per minute. He is presently volume overloaded following several days of intravenous fluid replacement. Ventricular dilation & wall tension are significantly lower than normal. Q. 19.19. A 68-year-old male complains to his nurse practitioner that when he tests his blood pressure using a machine at his pharmacy, his heart rate is nearly always very low. At other times, he feels that his heart is racing, & it also seems to pause at times. The man has also occasionally had lightheadedness & a recent syncopal episode. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis & the phenomenon underlying it? (Points : 0.4) Sick sinus syndrome as a result of a disease of his sinus node & atrial or junctional arrhythmias Ventricular arrhythmia as a result of alternating vagal & sympathetic stimulation Torsades de pointes as a result of disease of the bundle of His Premature atrial contractions that vacillate between tachycardic & bradycardic episodes as a consequence of an infectious process Q. 20.20. An autopsy is being performed on a 44-year-old female who died unexpectedly of heart failure. Which of the following components of the pathologist's report is most suggestive of a possible history of poorly controlled blood pressure? (Points : 0.4) “Scarring of urethra suggestive of recurrent urinary tract infections is evident.” “Bilateral renal hypertrophy noted.” “Vessel wall changes suggestive of venous stasis are evident.” “Arterial sclerosis of subcortical brain regions noted.” Q. 21.21. During a routine physical examination of a 66-year-old woman, her nurse practitioner notes a pulsating abdominal mass & refers the woman for further treatment. The nurse practitioner is explaining the diagnosis to the patient, who is unfamiliar with aneurysms. Which of the following aspects of the pathophysiology of aneurysms would underlie the explanation the nurse provides? (Points : 0.4) Aneurysms are commonly a result of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Hypertension is a frequent modifiable contributor to aneurysms. Individuals with an aneurysm are normally asymptomatic until the aneurysm ruptures. Aneurysms can normally be resolved with lifestyle & diet modifications. Q. 22.22. A patient has suffered damage to his pericardium following a motor vehicle accident. Which of the following consequences should the nurse practitioner be most likely to rule out? (Points : 0.4) Impaired physical restraint of the left ventricule Increased friction during the contraction/relaxation cycle Reduced protection from infectious organisms Impaired regulation of myocardial contraction Q. 23.23. A nurse practitioner is instructing a group of older adults about the risks associated with high cholesterol. Which of the following teaching points should the participants try to integrate into their lifestyle after the teaching session? (Points : 0.4) “Remember, the 'H' in HDL & the 'L' in LDL correspond to high danger & low danger to your health.” “Having high cholesterol increases your risk of developing diabetes & irregular heart rate.” “Smoking & being overweight increases your risk of primary hypercholesterolemia.” “Your family history of hypercholesterolemia is important, but there are things you can do to compensate for a high inherited risk.” Q. 24.24. An 81-year-old male resident of a long-term care facility has a long-st&ing diagnosis of heart failure. Which of the following short-term & longer-term compensatory mechanisms is least likely to decrease the symptoms of his heart failure? (Points : 0.4) An increase in preload via the Frank-Starling mechanism Sympathetic stimulation & increased serum levels of epinephrine & norepinephrine Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system & secretion of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) Q. 25.25. A 55-year-old male who is beginning to take a statin drug for his hypercholesterolemia is discussing cholesterol & its role in health & illness with his nurse practitioner. Which of the following aspects of hyperlipidemia would the nurse practitioner most likely take into account when teaching the patient? (Points : 0.4) Hyperlipidemia is a consequence of diet & lifestyle rather than genetics. HDL cholesterol is often characterized as being beneficial to health. Cholesterol is a metabolic waste product that the liver is responsible for clearing. The goal of medical treatment is to eliminate cholesterol from the vascular system. Retake #3 1. A nurse practitioner is teaching a student NP about the physiologic basis for damage to the circulatory & neurological systems that can accompany hypotension. Which of the following responses by the student would warrant correction by the nurse practitioner? (Points : 0.4) “As vessel wall thickness increases, tension decreases.” “Smaller blood vessels require more pressure to overcome wall tension.” “The smaller the vessel radius, the greater the pressure needed to keep it open.” “Tension & vessel thickness increase proportionately.” Q. 2.2. A 31-year-old woman with a congenital heart defect reports episodes of lightheadedness & syncope, with occasional palpitations. A resting electrocardiogram reveals sinus bradycardia & she is suspected of having sick sinus syndrome. Which of the following diagnostic methods is the best choice to investigate the suspicion? (Points : 0.4) Signal-averaged ECG Exercise stress testing Electrophysiologic study Holter monitoring Q. 3.3. Which of the following assessment findings in a newly admitted 30-year-old male patient would be most likely to cause his nurse practitioner to suspect polyarteritis nodosa? (Points : 0.4) The man's blood work indicates polycythemia (elevated red cells levels) & leukocytosis (elevated white cells). The man's blood pressure is 178/102 & he has abnormal liver function tests. The man is acutely short of breath & his oxygen saturation is 87%. The man's temperature is 101.9°F & he is diaphoretic (heavily sweating). Q. 4.4. An 81-year-old male resident of a long-term care facility has a long-st&ing diagnosis of heart failure. Which of the following short-term & longer-term compensatory mechanisms is least likely to decrease the symptoms of his heart failure? (Points : 0.4) An increase in preload via the Frank-Starling mechanism Sympathetic stimulation & increased serum levels of epinephrine & norepinephrine Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system & secretion of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) AV node pacemaking activity & vagal nerve suppression Q. 5.5. A nurse practitioner is instructing a group of older adults about the risks associated with high cholesterol. Which of the following teaching points should the participants try to integrate into their lifestyle after the teaching session? (Points : 0.4) “Remember, the 'H' in HDL & the 'L' in LDL correspond to high danger & low danger to your health.” “Having high cholesterol increases your risk of developing diabetes & irregular heart rate.” “Smoking & being overweight increases your risk of primary hypercholesterolemia.” “Your family history of hypercholesterolemia is important, but there are things you can do to compensate for a high inherited risk.” Q. 6.6. A 55-year-old male who is beginning to take a statin drug for his hypercholesterolemia is discussing cholesterol & its role in health & illness with his nurse practitioner. Which of the following aspects of hyperlipidemia would the nurse practitioner most likely take into account when teaching the patient? (Points : 0.4) Hyperlipidemia is a consequence of diet & lifestyle rather than genetics. HDL cholesterol is often characterized as being beneficial to health. Cholesterol is a metabolic waste product that the liver is responsible for clearing. The goal of medical treatment is to eliminate cholesterol from the vascular system. Q. 7.7. A number of patients have presented to the emergency department in the last 24 hours with complaints that are preliminarily indicative of myocardial infarction. Which of the following patients is least likely to have an ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI)? (Points : 0.4) A 70-year-old woman who is complaining of shortness of breath & vague chest discomfort A 66-year-old man who has presented with fatigue, nausea & vomiting, & cool, moist skin A 43-year-old man who woke up with substernal pain that is radiating to his neck & jaw A 71-year-old man who has moist skin, fever, & chest pain that is excruciating when he moves but relieved when at rest Q. 8.8. A patient in the intensive care unit has a blood pressure of 87/39 & has warm, flushed skin accompanying his sudden decline in level of consciousness. The patient also has arterial & venous dilation & a decrease in systemic vascular resistance. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Hypovolemic shock Septic shock Neurogenic shock Obstructive shock Q. 9.9. A formerly normotensive woman, pregnant for the first time, develops hypertension & headaches at 26 weeks' gestation. Her blood pressure is 154/110 mm Hg & she has proteinuria. What other labs should be ordered for her? (Points : 0.4) Plasma angiotensin I & II & renin Urinary sodium & potassium Platelet count, serum creatinine, & liver enzymes Urinary catecholamines & metabolites Q. 10.10. An older adult female patient has presented with a new onset of shortness of breath, & the patient's nurse practitioner has ordered measurement of her BNP levels along with other diagnostic tests. What is the most accurate rationale for the nurse practitioner's choice of blood work? (Points : 0.4) BNP is released as a compensatory mechanism during heart failure & measuring it can help differentiate the patient's dyspnea from a respiratory pathology. BNP is an indirect indicator of the effectiveness of the RAA system in compensating for heart failure. BNP levels correlate with the patient's risk of developing cognitive deficits secondary to heart failure & consequent brain hypoxia. BNP becomes elevated in cases of cardiac asthma, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, & acute pulmonary edema, & measurement can gauge the severity of pulmonary effects. Q. 11.11. A nurse practitioner has ordered the measurement of a cardiac patient's electrolyte levels as part of the patient's morning blood work. Which of the following statements best captures the importance of potassium in the normal electrical function of the patient's heart? (Points : 0.4) Potassium catalyzes the metabolism of ATP, producing the gradient that results in electrical stimulation. Potassium is central to establishing & maintaining the resting membrane potential of cardiac muscle cells. The impermeability of cardiac cell membranes to potassium allows for action potentials achieved by the flow of sodium ions. The reciprocal movement of one potassium ion for one sodium ion across the cell membrane results in the production of an action potential. Q. 12.12. A 70-year-old male patient presents to the emergency department complaining of pain in his calf that is exacerbated when he walks. His pedal & popliteal pulses are faintly palpable & his leg distal to the pain is noticeably reddened. What would his care provider's preliminary diagnosis & anticipated treatment most likely be? (Points : 0.4) Acute arterial occlusion that will be treated with angioplasty Raynaud disease that will require antiplatelet medications Atherosclerotic occlusive disease necessitating thrombolytic therapy Giant cell temporal arteritis that will be treated with corticosteroids Q. 13.13. Which of the following situations related to the transition from fetal to perinatal circulation would be most likely to necessitate medical intervention? (Points : 0.4) Pressure in the pulmonary circulation & the right side of the infant's heart fall markedly. Alveolar oxygen tension increases, causing reversal of pulmonary vasoconstriction of the fetal arteries. Systemic vascular resistance & left ventricular pressure are both increasing. Pulmonary vascular resistance, related to muscle regression in the pulmonary arteries, rises over the course of the infant's first week. Q. 14.14. In which of the following patient situations would a nurse practitioner be most justified in preliminarily ruling out pericarditis as a contributing pathology to the patient's health problems? (Points : 0.4) A 61-year-old man whose ECG was characterized by widespread T wave inversions on admission but whose T waves have recently normalized A 77-year-old with diminished S3 & S4 sounds, an irregular heart rate, & a history of atrial fibrillation A 56-year-old obese man who is complaining of chest pain that is exacerbated by deep inspiration & is radiating to his neck & scapular ridge A 60-year-old woman whose admission blood work indicates elevated white cells, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, & C-reactive protein levels Q. 15.15. During a routine physical examination of a 66-year-old woman, her nurse practitioner notes a pulsating abdominal mass & refers the woman for further treatment. The nurse practitioner is explaining the diagnosis to the patient, who is unfamiliar with aneurysms. Which of the following aspects of the pathophysiology of aneurysms would underlie the explanation the nurse provides? (Points : 0.4) Aneurysms are commonly a result of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Hypertension is a frequent modifiable contributor to aneurysms. Individuals with an aneurysm are normally asymptomatic until the aneurysm ruptures. Aneurysms can normally be resolved with lifestyle & diet modifications. Q. 16.16. A patient is experiencing impaired circulation secondary to increased systemic arterial pressure. Which of the following statements is the most relevant phenomenon?(Points : 0.4) Increased preload due to vascular resistance High afterload because of backpressure against the lef t ventricle Impaired contractility due to aortic resistance Systolic impairment because of arterial stenosis Q. 17.17. A 66-year-old patient's echocardiogram reveals a hypertrophied left ventricle, normal chamber volume, & a normal ejection fraction from the heart. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Mitral valve regurgitation Aortic valve stenosis Mitral valve stenosis Aortic valve regurgitation Q. 18.18. A physical assessment of a 28-year-old female patient indicates that her blood pressure in her legs is lower than that in her arms & that her brachial pulse is weaker in her left arm than in her right. In addition, her femoral pulses are weak bilaterally. Which of the following possibilities would her care provider be most likely to suspect? (Points : 0.4) Pheochromocytoma Essential hypertension Coarctation of the aorta An adrenocortical disorder Q. 19.19. A 72-year-old woman with a recent onset of syncopal episodes has been referred to a cardiology group by her family physician. As part of the patient's diagnostic workup, the nurse practitioner conducting the intake assessment has ordered a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Which of the following statements best captures an aspect of Holter monitoring? (Points : 0.4) A Holter monitor is preferable to st&ard ECG due to its increased sensitivity to cardiac electrical activity. The primary goal is to allow the cardiologist to accurately diagnose cardiomyopathies. Accurate interpretation of the results requires correlating the findings with the activity that the woman was doing at the time of recording. Holter monitors are normally set to record electrical activity of the heart at least once per hour. Q. 20.20. An 81-year-old female patient of a long-term care facility has a history of congestive heart failure. The nurse practitioner caring for the patient has positioned her sitting up at an angle in bed & is observing her jugular venous distention. Why is jugular venous distention a useful indicator for the assessment of the patient's condition? (Points : 0.4) Increased cardiac dem& causes engorgement of systemic blood vessels, of which the jugular vein is one of the largest. Blood backs up into the jugular vein because there are no valves at the point of entry into the heart. Peripheral dilation is associated with decreased stroke volume & ejection fraction. Heart valves are not capable of preventing backflow in cases of atrial congestion. Q. 21.21. As part of the diagnostic workup for a male patient with a complex history of cardiovascular disease, the care team has identified the need for a record of the electrical activity of his heart, insight into the metabolism of his myocardium, & physical measurements, & imaging of his heart. Which of the following series of tests is most likely to provide the needed data for his diagnosis & care? (Points : 0.4) Echocardiogram, PET scan, ECG Ambulatory ECG, cardiac MRI, echocardiogram Serum creatinine levels, chest auscultation, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy Cardiac catheterization, cardiac CT, exercise stress testing Q. 22.22. A 6-year-old boy has been brought to the emergency department by ambulance after his mother discovered that his heart rate was “so fast I couldn't even count it.” The child was determined to be in atrial flutter & his mother is seeking an explanation from the health care team. Which of the following points should underlie an explanation to the mother? (Points : 0.4) The child is experiencing a reentry rhythm in his right atrium. The resolution of the problem is dependent on spontaneous recovery & is resistant to pacing interventions. The child is likely to have a normal ECG apart from the rapid heart rate. The boy's atria are experiencing abnormal sympathetic stimulation. Q. 23.23. A 66-year-old obese man with a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease has been diagnosed with heart failure that his care team has characterized as attributable to systolic dysfunction. Which of the following assessment findings is inconsistent with his diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) His resting blood pressure is normally in the range of 150/90 & an echocardiogram indicates his ejection fraction is 30%. His end-diastolic volume is higher than normal & his resting heart rate is regular & 82 beats per minute. He is presently volume overloaded following several days of intravenous fluid replacement. Ventricular dilation & wall tension are significantly lower than normal. Q. 24.24. A 54-year-old man with a long-st&ing diagnosis of essential hypertension is meeting with his nurse practitioner. The patient's nurse practitioner would anticipate that which of the following phenomena is most likely occurring? (Points : 0.4) The patient's juxtaglomerular cells are releasing aldosterone as a result of sympathetic stimulation. Epinephrine from his adrenal gl& is initiating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Vasopressin is exerting an effect on his chemoreceptors & baroreceptors, resulting in vasoconstriction. The conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in his lungs causes increases in blood pressure & sodium reabsorption. Q. 25.25. The nurse practitioner for a cardiology practice is responsible for providing presurgical teaching for patients who are about to undergo a coronary artery bypass graft. Which of the following teaching points best conveys an aspect of the human circulatory system? (Points : 0.4) “Your blood pressure varies widely between arteries & veins, & between pulmonary & systemic circulation.” “Only around one quarter of your blood is in your heart at any given time.” “Blood pressure & blood volume roughly mimic one another at any given location in the circulatory system.” “Left-sided & right-sided pumping action at each beat of the heart must equal each other to ensure adequate blood distribution.” NR 507 Week 3 Quiz QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q1. A 72-year-old woman with a recent onset of syncopal episodes has been referred to a cardiology group by her family physician. As part of the patient's diagnostic workup, the nurse practitioner conducting the intake assessment has ordered a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Which of the following statements best captures an aspect of Holter monitoring? (Points : 0.4) A Holter monitor is preferable to start ECG due to its increased sensitivity to cardiac electrical activity. The primary goal is to allow the cardiologist to accurately diagnose cardiomyopathies. Accurate interpretation of the results requires correlating the findings with the activity that the woman was doing at the time of recording. Holter monitors are normally set to record electrical activity of the heart at least once per hour. Q.2.2. As part of the diagnostic workup for a male patient with a complex history of cardiovascular disease, the care team has identified the need for a record of the electrical activity of his heart, insight into the metabolism of his myocardium, & physical measurements, & imaging of his heart. Which of the following series of tests is most likely to provide the needed data for his diagnosis & care? (Points : 0.4) Echocardiogram, PET scan, ECG Ambulatory ECG, cardiac MRI, echocardiogram Q. 3.3. An 81-year-old female patient of a long-term care facility has a history of congestive heart failure. The nurse practitioner caring for the patient has positioned her sitting up at an angle in bed & is observing her jugular venous distention. Why is jugular venous distention a useful indicator for the assessment of the patient's condition? (Points : 0.4) Increased cardiac dem& causes engorgement of systemic blood vessels, of which the jugular vein is one of the largest. Blood backs up into the jugular vein because there are no valves at the point of entry into the heart. Peripheral dilation is associated with decreased stroke volume & ejection fraction. Heart valves are not capable of preventing backflow in cases of atrial congestion. Q. 4.4. A physical assessment of a 28-year-old female patient indicates that her blood pressure in her legs is lower than that in her arms & that her brachial pulse is weaker in her left arm than in her right. In addition, her femoral pulses are weak bilaterally. Which of the following possibilities would her care provider be most likely to suspect? (Points : 0.4) Pheochromocytoma Essential hypertension Coarctation of the aorta An adrenocortical disorder Q. 5.5. A 6-year-old boy has been brought to the emergency department by ambulance after his mother discovered that his heart rate was “so fast I couldn't even count it.” The child was determined to be in atrial flutter & his mother is seeking an explanation from the health care team. Which of the following points should underlie an explanation to the mother? (Points : 0.4) The child is experiencing a reentry rhythm in his right atrium. The resolution of the problem is dependent on spontaneous recovery & is resistant to pacing interventions. The child is likely to have a normal ECG apart from the rapid heart rate. The boy's atria are experiencing abnormal sympathetic stimulation. Q. 6.6. A 66-year-old patient's echocardiogram reveals a hypertrophied left ventricle, normal chamber volume, & a normal ejection fraction from the heart. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Mitral valve regurgitation Aortic valve stenosis Mitral valve stenosis Aortic valve regurgitation Q. 7.7. A 70-year-old male patient presents to the emergency department complaining of pain in his calf that is exacerbated when he walks. His pedal & popliteal pulses are faintly palpable & his leg distal to the pain is noticeably reddened. What would his care provider's preliminary diagnosis & anticipated treatment most likely be?(Points : 0.4) Acute arterial occlusion that will be treated with angioplasty Raynaud disease that will require antiplatelet medications Atherosclerotic occlusive disease necessitating thrombolytic therapy Giant cell temporal arteritis that will be treated with corticosteroids Q. 8.8. A patient in the intensive care unit has a blood pressure of 87/39 & has warm, flushed skin accompanying his sudden decline in level of consciousness. The patient also has arterial & venous dilation & a decrease in systemic vascular resistance. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Hypovolemic shock Septic shock Neurogenic shock Obstructive shock Q. 9.9. A 31-year-old woman with a congenital heart defect reports episodes of lightheadedness & syncope, with occasional palpitations. A resting electrocardiogram reveals sinus bradycardia & she is suspected of having sick sinus syndrome. Which of the following diagnostic methods is the best choice to investigate the suspicion? (Points : 0.4) Signal-averaged ECG Exercise stress testing Electrophysiologic study Holter monitoring Q. 10.10. A nurse practitioner is providing care for several patients on a medical unit of a hospital. In which of the following patient situations would the nurse practitioner be most likely to rule out hypertension as a contributing factor? (Points : 0.4) A 61-year-old man who has a heart valve infection & recurrent fever An 81-year-old woman who has had an ischemic stroke & has consequent one-sided weakness A 44-year-old man awaiting a kidney transplant who requires hemodialysis three times per week A 66-year-old woman with poorly controlled angina & consequent limited activity tolerance Q. 11.11. A patient is experiencing impaired circulation secondary to increased systemic arterial pressure. Which of the following statements is the most relevant phenomenon?(Points : 0.4) Increased preload due to vascular resistance High afterload because of backpressure against the lef t ventricle Impaired contractility due to aortic resistance Systolic impairment because of arterial stenosis Q. 12.12. A number of patients have presented to the emergency department in the last 24 hours with complaints that are preliminarily indicative of myocardial infarction. Which of the following patients is least likely to have an ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI)? (Points : 0.4) A 70-year-old woman who is complaining of shortness of breath & vague chest discomfort A 66-year-old man who has presented with fatigue, nausea & vomiting, & cool, moist skin A 43-year-old man who woke up with substernal pain that is radiating to his neck & jaw A 71-year-old man who has moist skin, fever, & chest pain that is excruciating when he moves but relieved when at rest Q. 13.13. A formerly normotensive woman, pregnant for the first time, develops hypertension & headaches at 26 weeks' gestation. Her blood pressure is 154/110 mm Hg & she has proteinuria. What other labs should be ordered for her? (Points : 0.4) Plasma angiotensin I & II & renin Urinary sodium & potassium Platelet count, serum creatinine, & liver enzymes Urinary catecholamines & metabolites Q. 14.14. An older adult female patient has presented with a new onset of shortness of breath, & the patient's nurse practitioner has ordered measurement of her BNP levels along with other diagnostic tests. What is the most accurate rationale for the nurse practitioner's choice of blood work? (Points : 0.4) BNP is released as a compensatory mechanism during heart failure & measuring it can help differentiate the patient's dyspnea from a respiratory pathology. BNP is an indirect indicator of the effectiveness of the RAA system in compensating for heart failure. BNP levels correlate with the patient's risk of developing cognitive deficits secondary to heart failure & consequent brain hypoxia. BNP becomes elevated in cases of cardiac asthma, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, & acute pulmonary edema, & measurement can gauge the severity of pulmonary effects. Q. 15.15. The nurse practitioner for a cardiology practice is responsible for providing presurgical teaching for patients who are about to undergo a coronary artery bypass graft. Which of the following teaching points best conveys an aspect of the human circulatory system? (Points : 0.4) “Your blood pressure varies widely between arteries & veins, & between pulmonary & systemic circulation.” “Only around one quarter of your blood is in your heart at any given time.” “Blood pressure & blood volume roughly mimic one another at any given location in the circulatory system.” “Left-sided & right-sided pumping action at each beat of the heart must equal each other to ensure adequate blood distribution.” Q. 16.16. A 54-year-old man with a long-st&ing diagnosis of essential hypertension is meeting with his nurse practitioner. The patient's nurse practitioner would anticipate that which of the following phenomena is most likely occurring? (Points : 0.4) The patient's juxtaglomerular cells are releasing aldosterone as a result of sympathetic stimulation. Epinephrine from his adrenal gl& is initiating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Vasopressin is exerting an effect on his chemoreceptors & baroreceptors, resulting in vasoconstriction. The conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in his lungs causes increases in blood pressure & sodium reabsorption. Q. 17.17. A 22-year-old male is experiencing hypovolemic shock following a fight in which his carotid artery was cut with a broken bottle. What immediate treatments are likely to most benefit the man? (Points : 0.4) Resolution of compensatory pulmonary edema & heart arrhythmias Infusion of vasodilators to foster perfusion & inotropes to improve heart contractility Infusion of normal saline of Ringer lactate to maintain the vascular space Administration of oxygen & epinephrine to promote perfusion Q. 18.18. A 66-year-old obese man with a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease has been diagnosed with heart failure that his care team has characterized as attributable to systolic dysfunction. Which of the following assessment findings is inconsistent with his diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) His resting blood pressure is normally in the range of 150/90 & an echocardiogram indicates his ejection fraction is 30%. His end-diastolic volume is higher than normal & his resting heart rate is regular & 82 beats per minute. He is presently volume overloaded following several days of intravenous fluid replacement. Ventricular dilation & wall tension are significantly lower than normal. Q. 19.19. A 68-year-old male complains to his nurse practitioner that when he tests his blood pressure using a machine at his pharmacy, his heart rate is nearly always very low. At other times, he feels that his heart is racing, & it also seems to pause at times. The man has also occasionally had lightheadedness & a recent syncopal episode. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis & the phenomenon underlying it? (Points : 0.4) Sick sinus syndrome as a result of a disease of his sinus node & atrial or junctional arrhythmias Ventricular arrhythmia as a result of alternating vagal & sympathetic stimulation Torsades de pointes as a result of disease of the bundle of His Premature atrial contractions that vacillate between tachycardic & bradycardic episodes as a consequence of an infectious process Q. 20.20. An autopsy is being performed on a 44-year-old female who died unexpectedly of heart failure. Which of the following components of the pathologist's report is most suggestive of a possible history of poorly controlled blood pressure? (Points : 0.4) “Scarring of urethra suggestive of recurrent urinary tract infections is evident.” “Bilateral renal hypertrophy noted.” “Vessel wall changes suggestive of venous stasis are evident.” “Arterial sclerosis of subcortical brain regions noted.” Q. 21.21. During a routine physical examination of a 66-year-old woman, her nurse practitioner notes a pulsating abdominal mass & refers the woman for further treatment. The nurse practitioner is explaining the diagnosis to the patient, who is unfamiliar with aneurysms. Which of the following aspects of the pathophysiology of aneurysms would underlie the explanation the nurse provides? (Points : 0.4) Aneurysms are commonly a result of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Hypertension is a frequent modifiable contributor to aneurysms. Individuals with an aneurysm are normally asymptomatic until the aneurysm ruptures. Aneurysms can normally be resolved with lifestyle & diet modifications. Q. 22.22. A patient has suffered damage to his pericardium following a motor vehicle accident. Which of the following consequences should the nurse practitioner be most likely to rule out? (Points : 0.4) Impaired physical restraint of the left ventricule Increased friction during the contraction/relaxation cycle Reduced protection from infectious organisms Impaired regulation of myocardial contraction Q. 23.23. A nurse practitioner is instructing a group of older adults about the risks associated with high cholesterol. Which of the following teaching points should the participants try to integrate into their lifestyle after the teaching session? (Points : 0.4) “Remember, the 'H' in HDL & the 'L' in LDL correspond to high danger & low danger to your health.” “Having high cholesterol increases your risk of developing diabetes & irregular heart rate.” “Smoking & being overweight increases your risk of primary hypercholesterolemia.” “Your family history of hypercholesterolemia is important, but there are things you can do to compensate for a high inherited risk.” Q. 24.24. An 81-year-old male resident of a long-term care facility has a long-st&ing diagnosis of heart failure. Which of the following short-term & longer-term compensatory mechanisms is least likely to decrease the symptoms of his heart failure? (Points : 0.4) An increase in preload via the Frank-Starling mechanism Sympathetic stimulation & increased serum levels of epinephrine & norepinephrine Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system & secretion of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) Q. 25.25. A 55-year-old male who is beginning to take a statin drug for his hypercholesterolemia is discussing cholesterol & its role in health & illness with his nurse practitioner. Which of the following aspects of hyperlipidemia would the nurse practitioner most likely take into account when teaching the patient? (Points : 0.4) Hyperlipidemia is a consequence of diet & lifestyle rather than genetics. HDL cholesterol is often characterized as being beneficial to health. Cholesterol is a metabolic waste product that the liver is responsible for clearing. The goal of medical treatment is to eliminate cholesterol from the vascular system. Retake #3 1. A nurse practitioner is teaching a student NP about the physiologic basis for damage to the circulatory & neurological systems that can accompany hypotension. Which of the following responses by the student would warrant correction by the nurse practitioner? (Points : 0.4) “As vessel wall thickness increases, tension decreases.” “Smaller blood vessels require more pressure to overcome wall tension.” “The smaller the vessel radius, the greater the pressure needed to keep it open.” “Tension & vessel thickness increase proportionately.” Q. 2.2. A 31-year-old woman with a congenital heart defect reports episodes of lightheadedness & syncope, with occasional palpitations. A resting electrocardiogram reveals sinus bradycardia & she is suspected of having sick sinus syndrome. Which of the following diagnostic methods is the best choice to investigate the suspicion? (Points : 0.4) Signal-averaged ECG Exercise stress testing Electrophysiologic study Holter monitoring Q. 3.3. Which of the following assessment findings in a newly admitted 30-year-old male patient would be most likely to cause his nurse practitioner to suspect polyarteritis nodosa? (Points : 0.4) The man's blood work indicates polycythemia (elevated red cells levels) & leukocytosis (elevated white cells). The man's blood pressure is 178/102 & he has abnormal liver function tests. The man is acutely short of breath & his oxygen saturation is 87%. The man's temperature is 101.9°F & he is diaphoretic (heavily sweating). Q. 4.4. An 81-year-old male resident of a long-term care facility has a long-st&ing diagnosis of heart failure. Which of the following short-term & longer-term compensatory mechanisms is least likely to decrease the symptoms of his heart failure? (Points : 0.4) An increase in preload via the Frank-Starling mechanism Sympathetic stimulation & increased serum levels of epinephrine & norepinephrine Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system & secretion of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) AV node pacemaking activity & vagal nerve suppression Q. 5.5. A nurse practitioner is instructing a group of older adults about the risks associated with high cholesterol. Which of the following teaching points should the participants try to integrate into their lifestyle after the teaching session? (Points : 0.4) “Remember, the 'H' in HDL & the 'L' in LDL correspond to high danger & low danger to your health.” “Having high cholesterol increases your risk of developing diabetes & irregular heart rate.” “Smoking & being overweight increases your risk of primary hypercholesterolemia.” “Your family history of hypercholesterolemia is important, but there are things you can do to compensate for a high inherited risk.” Q. 6.6. A 55-year-old male who is beginning to take a statin drug for his hypercholesterolemia is discussing cholesterol & its role in health & illness with his nurse practitioner. Which of the following aspects of hyperlipidemia would the nurse practitioner most likely take into account when teaching the patient? (Points : 0.4) Hyperlipidemia is a consequence of diet & lifestyle rather than genetics. HDL cholesterol is often characterized as being beneficial to health. Cholesterol is a metabolic waste product that the liver is responsible for clearing. The goal of medical treatment is to eliminate cholesterol from the vascular system. Q. 7.7. A number of patients have presented to the emergency department in the last 24 hours with complaints that are preliminarily indicative of myocardial infarction. Which of the following patients is least likely to have an ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI)? (Points : 0.4) A 70-year-old woman who is complaining of shortness of breath & vague chest discomfort A 66-year-old man who has presented with fatigue, nausea & vomiting, & cool, moist skin A 43-year-old man who woke up with substernal pain that is radiating to his neck & jaw A 71-year-old man who has moist skin, fever, & chest pain that is excruciating when he moves but relieved when at rest Q. 8.8. A patient in the intensive care unit has a blood pressure of 87/39 & has warm, flushed skin accompanying his sudden decline in level of consciousness. The patient also has arterial & venous dilation & a decrease in systemic vascular resistance. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Hypovolemic shock Septic shock Neurogenic shock Obstructive shock Q. 9.9. A formerly normotensive woman, pregnant for the first time, develops hypertension & headaches at 26 weeks' gestation. Her blood pressure is 154/110 mm Hg & she has proteinuria. What other labs should be ordered for her? (Points : 0.4) Plasma angiotensin I & II & renin Urinary sodium & potassium Platelet count, serum creatinine, & liver enzymes Urinary catecholamines & metabolites Q. 10.10. An older adult female patient has presented with a new onset of shortness of breath, & the patient's nurse practitioner has ordered measurement of her BNP levels along with other diagnostic tests. What is the most accurate rationale for the nurse practitioner's choice of blood work? (Points : 0.4) BNP is released as a compensatory mechanism during heart failure & measuring it can help differentiate the patient's dyspnea from a respiratory pathology. BNP is an indirect indicator of the effectiveness of the RAA system in compensating for heart failure. BNP levels correlate with the patient's risk of developing cognitive deficits secondary to heart failure & consequent brain hypoxia. BNP becomes elevated in cases of cardiac asthma, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, & acute pulmonary edema, & measurement can gauge the severity of pulmonary effects. Q. 11.11. A nurse practitioner has ordered the measurement of a cardiac patient's electrolyte levels as part of the patient's morning blood work. Which of the following statements best captures the importance of potassium in the normal electrical function of the patient's heart? (Points : 0.4) Potassium catalyzes the metabolism of ATP, producing the gradient that results in electrical stimulation. Potassium is central to establishing & maintaining the resting membrane potential of cardiac muscle cells. The impermeability of cardiac cell membranes to potassium allows for action potentials achieved by the flow of sodium ions. The reciprocal movement of one potassium ion for one sodium ion across the cell membrane results in the production of an action potential. Q. 12.12. A 70-year-old male patient presents to the emergency department complaining of pain in his calf that is exacerbated when he walks. His pedal & popliteal pulses are faintly palpable & his leg distal to the pain is noticeably reddened. What would his care provider's preliminary diagnosis & anticipated treatment most likely be? (Points : 0.4) Acute arterial occlusion that will be treated with angioplasty Raynaud disease that will require antiplatelet medications Atherosclerotic occlusive disease necessitating thrombolytic therapy Giant cell temporal arteritis that will be treated with corticosteroids Q. 13.13. Which of the following situations related to the transition from fetal to perinatal circulation would be most likely to necessitate medical intervention? (Points : 0.4) Pressure in the pulmonary circulation & the right side of the infant's heart fall markedly. Alveolar oxygen tension increases, causing reversal of pulmonary vasoconstriction of the fetal arteries. Systemic vascular resistance & left ventricular pressure are both increasing. Pulmonary vascular resistance, related to muscle regression in the pulmonary arteries, rises over the course of the infant's first week. Q. 14.14. In which of the following patient situations would a nurse practitioner be most justified in preliminarily ruling out pericarditis as a contributing pathology to the patient's health problems? (Points : 0.4) A 61-year-old man whose ECG was characterized by widespread T wave inversions on admission but whose T waves have recently normalized A 77-year-old with diminished S3 & S4 sounds, an irregular heart rate, & a history of atrial fibrillation A 56-year-old obese man who is complaining of chest pain that is exacerbated by deep inspiration & is radiating to his neck & scapular ridge A 60-year-old woman whose admission blood work indicates elevated white cells, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, & C-reactive protein levels Q. 15.15. During a routine physical examination of a 66-year-old woman, her nurse practitioner notes a pulsating abdominal mass & refers the woman for further treatment. The nurse practitioner is explaining the diagnosis to the patient, who is unfamiliar with aneurysms. Which of the following aspects of the pathophysiology of aneurysms would underlie the explanation the nurse provides? (Points : 0.4) Aneurysms are commonly a result of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Hypertension is a frequent modifiable contributor to aneurysms. Individuals with an aneurysm are normally asymptomatic until the aneurysm ruptures. Aneurysms can normally be resolved with lifestyle & diet modifications. Q. 16.16. A patient is experiencing impaired circulation secondary to increased systemic arterial pressure. Which of the following statements is the most relevant phenomenon?(Points : 0.4) Increased preload due to vascular resistance High afterload because of backpressure against the lef t ventricle Impaired contractility due to aortic resistance Systolic impairment because of arterial stenosis Q. 17.17. A 66-year-old patient's echocardiogram reveals a hypertrophied left ventricle, normal chamber volume, & a normal ejection fraction from the heart. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Mitral valve regurgitation Aortic valve stenosis Mitral valve stenosis Aortic valve regurgitation Q. 18.18. A physical assessment of a 28-year-old female patient indicates that her blood pressure in her legs is lower than that in her arms & that her brachial pulse is weaker in her left arm than in her right. In addition, her femoral pulses are weak bilaterally. Which of the following possibilities would her care provider be most likely to suspect? (Points : 0.4) Pheochromocytoma Essential hypertension Coarctation of the aorta An adrenocortical disorder Q. 19.19. A 72-year-old woman with a recent onset of syncopal episodes has been referred to a cardiology group by her family physician. As part of the patient's diagnostic workup, the nurse practitioner conducting the intake assessment has ordered a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Which of the following statements best captures an aspect of Holter monitoring? (Points : 0.4) A Holter monitor is preferable to st&ard ECG due to its increased sensitivity to cardiac electrical activity. The primary goal is to allow the cardiologist to accurately diagnose cardiomyopathies. Accurate interpretation of the results requires correlating the findings with the activity that the woman was doing at the time of recording. Holter monitors are normally set to record electrical activity of the heart at least once per hour. Q. 20.20. An 81-year-old female patient of a long-term care facility has a history of congestive heart failure. The nurse practitioner caring for the patient has positioned her sitting up at an angle in bed & is observing her jugular venous distention. Why is jugular venous distention a useful indicator for the assessment of the patient's condition? (Points : 0.4) Increased cardiac dem& causes engorgement of systemic blood vessels, of which the jugular vein is one of the largest. Blood backs up into the jugular vein because there are no valves at the point of entry into the heart. Peripheral dilation is associated with decreased stroke volume & ejection fraction. Heart valves are not capable of preventing backflow in cases of atrial congestion. Q. 21.21. As part of the diagnostic workup for a male patient with a complex history of cardiovascular disease, the care team has identified the need for a record of the electrical activity of his heart, insight into the metabolism of his myocardium, & physical measurements, & imaging of his heart. Which of the following series of tests is most likely to provide the needed data for his diagnosis & care? (Points : 0.4) Echocardiogram, PET scan, ECG Ambulatory ECG, cardiac MRI, echocardiogram Serum creatinine levels, chest auscultation, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy Cardiac catheterization, cardiac CT, exercise stress testing Q. 22.22. A 6-year-old boy has been brought to the emergency department by ambulance after his mother discovered that his heart rate was “so fast I couldn't even count it.” The child was determined to be in atrial flutter & his mother is seeking an explanation from the health care team. Which of the following points should underlie an explanation to the mother? (Points : 0.4) The child is experiencing a reentry rhythm in his right atrium. The resolution of the problem is dependent on spontaneous recovery & is resistant to pacing interventions. The child is likely to have a normal ECG apart from the rapid heart rate. The boy's atria are experiencing abnormal sympathetic stimulation. Q. 23.23. A 66-year-old obese man with a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease has been diagnosed with heart failure that his care team has characterized as attributable to systolic dysfunction. Which of the following assessment findings is inconsistent with his diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) His resting blood pressure is normally in the range of 150/90 & an echocardiogram indicates his ejection fraction is 30%. His end-diastolic volume is higher than normal & his resting heart rate is regular & 82 beats per minute. He is presently volume overloaded following several days of intravenous fluid replacement. Ventricular dilation & wall tension are significantly lower than normal. Q. 24.24. A 54-year-old man with a long-st&ing diagnosis of essential hypertension is meeting with his nurse practitioner. The patient's nurse practitioner would anticipate that which of the following phenomena is most likely occurring? (Points : 0.4) The patient's juxtaglomerular cells are releasing aldosterone as a result of sympathetic stimulation. Epinephrine from his adrenal gl& is initiating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Vasopressin is exerting an effect on his chemoreceptors & baroreceptors, resulting in vasoconstriction. The conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in his lungs causes increases in blood pressure & sodium reabsorption. Q. 25.25. The nurse practitioner for a cardiology practice is responsible for providing presurgical teaching for patients who are about to undergo a coronary artery bypass graft. Which of the following teaching points best conveys an aspect of the human circulatory system? (Points : 0.4) “Your blood pressure varies widely between arteries & veins, & between pulmonary & systemic circulation.” “Only around one quarter of your blood is in your heart at any given time.” “Blood pressure & blood volume roughly mimic one another at any given location in the circulatory system.” “Left-sided & right-sided pumping action at each beat of the heart must equal each other to ensure adequate blood distribution.” NR 507 Week 3 Quiz QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q1. A 72-year-old woman with a recent onset of syncopal episodes has been referred to a cardiology group by her family physician. As part of the patient's diagnostic workup, the nurse practitioner conducting the intake assessment has ordered a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Which of the following statements best captures an aspect of Holter monitoring? (Points : 0.4) A Holter monitor is preferable to start ECG due to its increased sensitivity to cardiac electrical activity. The primary goal is to allow the cardiologist to accurately diagnose cardiomyopathies. Accurate interpretation of the results requires correlating the findings with the activity that the woman was doing at the time of recording. Holter monitors are normally set to record electrical activity of the heart at least once per hour. Q.2.2. As part of the diagnostic workup for a male patient with a complex history of cardiovascular disease, the care team has identified the need for a record of the electrical activity of his heart, insight into the metabolism of his myocardium, & physical measurements, & imaging of his heart. Which of the following series of tests is most likely to provide the needed data for his diagnosis & care? (Points : 0.4) Echocardiogram, PET scan, ECG Ambulatory ECG, cardiac MRI, echocardiogram Q. 3.3. An 81-year-old female patient of a long-term care facility has a history of congestive heart failure. The nurse practitioner caring for the patient has positioned her sitting up at an angle in bed & is observing her jugular venous distention. Why is jugular venous distention a useful indicator for the assessment of the patient's condition? (Points : 0.4) Increased cardiac dem& causes engorgement of systemic blood vessels, of which the jugular vein is one of the largest. Blood backs up into the jugular vein because there are no valves at the point of entry into the heart. Peripheral dilation is associated with decreased stroke volume & ejection fraction. Heart valves are not capable of preventing backflow in cases of atrial congestion. Q. 4.4. A physical assessment of a 28-year-old female patient indicates that her blood pressure in her legs is lower than that in her arms & that her brachial pulse is weaker in her left arm than in her right. In addition, her femoral pulses are weak bilaterally. Which of the following possibilities would her care provider be most likely to suspect? (Points : 0.4) Pheochromocytoma Essential hypertension Coarctation of the aorta An adrenocortical disorder Q. 5.5. A 6-year-old boy has been brought to the emergency department by ambulance after his mother discovered that his heart rate was “so fast I couldn't even count it.” The child was determined to be in atrial flutter & his mother is seeking an explanation from the health care team. Which of the following points should underlie an explanation to the mother? (Points : 0.4) The child is experiencing a reentry rhythm in his right atrium. The resolution of the problem is dependent on spontaneous recovery & is resistant to pacing interventions. The child is likely to have a normal ECG apart from the rapid heart rate. The boy's atria are experiencing abnormal sympathetic stimulation. Q. 6.6. A 66-year-old patient's echocardiogram reveals a hypertrophied left ventricle, normal chamber volume, & a normal ejection fraction from the heart. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis? (Points : 0.4) Mitral valve regurgitation Aortic valve stenosis Mitral valve stenosis Aortic valve regurgitation Q. 7.7. A 70-year-old male patient presents to the emergency department complaining of pain in his calf that is exacerbated when he walks. His pedal & popliteal pulses are faintly palpable