CAD/AMI Practice Questions with
correct answers graded A+ passed
1. When developing a teaching plan for a 61-year-old man with the following risk factors for coronary
artery disease (CAD), the nurse should focus on the
a. family history of coronary artery disease.
b. increased risk associated with the patient's gender.
c. increased risk of cardiovascular disease as people age.
d. elevation of the patient's low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level. - correct answer ✔✔ANS: D
Because family history, gender, and age are nonmodifiable risk factors, the nurse should focus on the
patient's LDL level. Decreases in LDL will help reduce the patient's risk for developing CAD.
2. Which nursing intervention will be most effective when assisting the patient with coronary artery
disease (CAD) to make appropriate dietary changes?
a. Give the patient a list of low-sodium, low-cholesterol foods that should be included in the diet.
b. Emphasize the increased risk for heart problems unless the patient makes the dietary changes.
c. Help the patient modify favorite high-fat recipes by using monosaturated oils when possible.
d. Inform the patient that a diet containing no saturated fat and minimal salt will be necessary. - correct
answer ✔✔ANS: C
Lifestyle changes are more likely to be successful when consideration is given to the patient's values and
preferences. The highest percentage of calories from fat should come from monosaturated fats.
Although low-sodium and low-cholesterol foods are appropriate, providing the patient with a list alone is
not likely to be successful in making dietary changes. Completely removing saturated fat from the diet is
not a realistic expectation. Up to 7% of calories in the therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) diet can come
from saturated fat. Telling the patient about the increased risk without assisting further with strategies
for dietary change is unlikely to be successful.
3. Which assessment data collected by the nurse who is admitting a patient with chest pain suggest that
the pain is caused by an acute myocardial infarction (AMI)?
a. The pain increases with deep breathing.
b. The pain has lasted longer than 30 minutes.
c. The pain is relieved after the patient takes nitroglycerin.
, d. The pain is reproducible when the patient raises the arms. - correct answer ✔✔ANS: B
Chest pain that lasts for 20 minutes or more is characteristic of AMI. Changes in pain that occur with
raising the arms or with deep breathing are more typical of musculoskeletal pain or pericarditis. Stable
angina is usually relieved when the patient takes nitroglycerin.
4. Which information given by a patient admitted with chronic stable angina will help the nurse confirm
this diagnosis?
a. The patient states that the pain "wakes me up at night."
b. The patient rates the pain at a level 3 to 5 (0 to 10 scale).
c. The patient states that the pain has increased in frequency over the last week.
d. The patient states that the pain "goes away" with one sublingual nitroglycerin tablet. - correct answer
✔✔ANS: D
Chronic stable angina is typically relieved by rest or nitroglycerin administration. The level of pain is not a
consistent indicator of the type of angina. Pain occurring at rest or with increased frequency is typical of
unstable angina.
5. After the nurse has finished teaching a patient about the use of sublingual nitroglycerin, which patient
statement indicates that the teaching has been effective?
a. "I can expect some nausea as a side effect of nitroglycerin."
b. "I should only take the nitroglycerin if I start to have chest pain."
c. "I will call an ambulance if I still have pain 5 minutes after taking 1 nitroglycerin."
d. "Nitroglycerin helps prevent a clot from forming and blocking blood flow to my heart." - correct
answer ✔✔ANS: C
The emergency medical services (EMS) system should be activated when chest pain is not relieved or is
worse after taking a single dose of NTG before taking any additional doses. If symptoms are significantly
improved after 1 dose, the patient can take 2 more doses 5 minutes apart for a total of 3 doses. If pain
not completely relieved, EMS should be called. Nitroglycerin can be taken to prevent chest pain or other
symptoms from developing (e.g., before intercourse). Gastric upset (e.g., nausea) is not an expected side
effect of nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin does not impact the underlying pathophysiology of coronary artery
atherosclerosis.
7. After the nurse teaches the patient about the use of carvedilol in preventing anginal episodes, which
statement by a patient indicates that the teaching has been effective?
a. "Carvedilol will help my heart muscle work harder."
correct answers graded A+ passed
1. When developing a teaching plan for a 61-year-old man with the following risk factors for coronary
artery disease (CAD), the nurse should focus on the
a. family history of coronary artery disease.
b. increased risk associated with the patient's gender.
c. increased risk of cardiovascular disease as people age.
d. elevation of the patient's low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level. - correct answer ✔✔ANS: D
Because family history, gender, and age are nonmodifiable risk factors, the nurse should focus on the
patient's LDL level. Decreases in LDL will help reduce the patient's risk for developing CAD.
2. Which nursing intervention will be most effective when assisting the patient with coronary artery
disease (CAD) to make appropriate dietary changes?
a. Give the patient a list of low-sodium, low-cholesterol foods that should be included in the diet.
b. Emphasize the increased risk for heart problems unless the patient makes the dietary changes.
c. Help the patient modify favorite high-fat recipes by using monosaturated oils when possible.
d. Inform the patient that a diet containing no saturated fat and minimal salt will be necessary. - correct
answer ✔✔ANS: C
Lifestyle changes are more likely to be successful when consideration is given to the patient's values and
preferences. The highest percentage of calories from fat should come from monosaturated fats.
Although low-sodium and low-cholesterol foods are appropriate, providing the patient with a list alone is
not likely to be successful in making dietary changes. Completely removing saturated fat from the diet is
not a realistic expectation. Up to 7% of calories in the therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) diet can come
from saturated fat. Telling the patient about the increased risk without assisting further with strategies
for dietary change is unlikely to be successful.
3. Which assessment data collected by the nurse who is admitting a patient with chest pain suggest that
the pain is caused by an acute myocardial infarction (AMI)?
a. The pain increases with deep breathing.
b. The pain has lasted longer than 30 minutes.
c. The pain is relieved after the patient takes nitroglycerin.
, d. The pain is reproducible when the patient raises the arms. - correct answer ✔✔ANS: B
Chest pain that lasts for 20 minutes or more is characteristic of AMI. Changes in pain that occur with
raising the arms or with deep breathing are more typical of musculoskeletal pain or pericarditis. Stable
angina is usually relieved when the patient takes nitroglycerin.
4. Which information given by a patient admitted with chronic stable angina will help the nurse confirm
this diagnosis?
a. The patient states that the pain "wakes me up at night."
b. The patient rates the pain at a level 3 to 5 (0 to 10 scale).
c. The patient states that the pain has increased in frequency over the last week.
d. The patient states that the pain "goes away" with one sublingual nitroglycerin tablet. - correct answer
✔✔ANS: D
Chronic stable angina is typically relieved by rest or nitroglycerin administration. The level of pain is not a
consistent indicator of the type of angina. Pain occurring at rest or with increased frequency is typical of
unstable angina.
5. After the nurse has finished teaching a patient about the use of sublingual nitroglycerin, which patient
statement indicates that the teaching has been effective?
a. "I can expect some nausea as a side effect of nitroglycerin."
b. "I should only take the nitroglycerin if I start to have chest pain."
c. "I will call an ambulance if I still have pain 5 minutes after taking 1 nitroglycerin."
d. "Nitroglycerin helps prevent a clot from forming and blocking blood flow to my heart." - correct
answer ✔✔ANS: C
The emergency medical services (EMS) system should be activated when chest pain is not relieved or is
worse after taking a single dose of NTG before taking any additional doses. If symptoms are significantly
improved after 1 dose, the patient can take 2 more doses 5 minutes apart for a total of 3 doses. If pain
not completely relieved, EMS should be called. Nitroglycerin can be taken to prevent chest pain or other
symptoms from developing (e.g., before intercourse). Gastric upset (e.g., nausea) is not an expected side
effect of nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin does not impact the underlying pathophysiology of coronary artery
atherosclerosis.
7. After the nurse teaches the patient about the use of carvedilol in preventing anginal episodes, which
statement by a patient indicates that the teaching has been effective?
a. "Carvedilol will help my heart muscle work harder."
