Cardiovascular NCLEX Exam Study
questions & Correct Answers
A patient is taking enalapril (Vasotec) an ACE inhibitor. The nurse understands that
patients taking this type of drug for heart failure need to be monitored carefully for:
a. hypernatremia.
b. hypertension.
c. hyperkalemia.
d. hypokalemia. - ✔✔c. hyperkalemia
A nurse is discussing heart failure with a group of nursing students. Which statement by a
student reflects an understanding of how compensatory mechanisms can compound existing
problems in patients with heart failure?
a. "An increase in arteriolar tone to improve tissue perfusion can decrease resistance."
,b. "An increase in contractility to increase cardiac output can cause pulmonary edema."
c. "When the heart rate increases to increase cardiac output, it can prevent adequate filling of
the ventricles."
d. "When venous tone increases to increase ventricular filling, an increase in arterial
pressure occurs." - ✔✔c. When the heart rate increases to increase cardiac output, it can
prevent adequate filling of the ventricles."
A patient with chronic hypertension is admitted to the hospital. During the admission
assessment, the nurse notes a heart rate of 96 beats per minute, a blood pressure of 150/90
mm Hg, bibasilar crackles, 2+ pitting edema of the ankles, and distension of the jugular
veins. The nurse will contact the provider to request an order for which medication?
a. ACE inhibitor
b. Digoxin (Lanoxin)
c. Furosemide (Lasix)
d. Spironolactone (Aldactone) - ✔✔c. Furosemide (Lasix)
A diabetic patient is recovering from a myocardial infarction but does not have symptoms
of heart failure. The nurse will expect to teach this patient about:
a. ACE inhibitors and beta blockers.
b. biventricular pacemakers.
c. dietary supplements and exercise.
d. diuretics and digoxin. - ✔✔a. ACE inhibitors and beta blockers
A patient with heart failure who has been taking an ACE inhibitor, a thiazide diuretic, and a
beta blocker for several months comes to the clinic for evaluation. As part of the ongoing
assessment of this patient, the nurse will expect the provider to evaluate:
a. complete blood count.
, b. ejection fraction.
c. maximal exercise capacity.
d. serum electrolyte levels. - ✔✔d. serum electrolyte levels.
The potassium-sparing diuretic spironolactone (Aldactone) prolongs survival and
improves heart failure symptoms by which mechanism?
a. Blocking aldosterone receptors
b. Increasing diuresis
c. Reducing venous pressure
d. Reducing afterload - ✔✔a. Blocking aldosterone receptors
A nurse prepares to administer a scheduled dose of digoxin. The nurse finds a new laboratory
report showing a plasma digoxin level of 0.7 ng/mL. What action should the nurse take?
a. Withhold the drug for an hour and reassess the level.
b. Withhold the drug and notify the prescriber immediately.
c. Administer Digibind to counteract the toxicity.
d. Check the patient's apical pulse, and if it is within a safe range, administer the digoxin. -
✔✔d. Check the patient's apical pulse, and if it is within a safe range, administer the
digoxin.
A man asks a nurse why he cannot use digoxin (Lanoxin) for his heart failure, because both of
his parents used it for HF. The nurse will explain that digoxin is not first-line therapy for
which reason?
a. It causes tachycardia and increases the cardiac workload.
b. It does not correct the underlying pathology of heart failure.
c. It has a wide therapeutic range that makes dosing difficult.
questions & Correct Answers
A patient is taking enalapril (Vasotec) an ACE inhibitor. The nurse understands that
patients taking this type of drug for heart failure need to be monitored carefully for:
a. hypernatremia.
b. hypertension.
c. hyperkalemia.
d. hypokalemia. - ✔✔c. hyperkalemia
A nurse is discussing heart failure with a group of nursing students. Which statement by a
student reflects an understanding of how compensatory mechanisms can compound existing
problems in patients with heart failure?
a. "An increase in arteriolar tone to improve tissue perfusion can decrease resistance."
,b. "An increase in contractility to increase cardiac output can cause pulmonary edema."
c. "When the heart rate increases to increase cardiac output, it can prevent adequate filling of
the ventricles."
d. "When venous tone increases to increase ventricular filling, an increase in arterial
pressure occurs." - ✔✔c. When the heart rate increases to increase cardiac output, it can
prevent adequate filling of the ventricles."
A patient with chronic hypertension is admitted to the hospital. During the admission
assessment, the nurse notes a heart rate of 96 beats per minute, a blood pressure of 150/90
mm Hg, bibasilar crackles, 2+ pitting edema of the ankles, and distension of the jugular
veins. The nurse will contact the provider to request an order for which medication?
a. ACE inhibitor
b. Digoxin (Lanoxin)
c. Furosemide (Lasix)
d. Spironolactone (Aldactone) - ✔✔c. Furosemide (Lasix)
A diabetic patient is recovering from a myocardial infarction but does not have symptoms
of heart failure. The nurse will expect to teach this patient about:
a. ACE inhibitors and beta blockers.
b. biventricular pacemakers.
c. dietary supplements and exercise.
d. diuretics and digoxin. - ✔✔a. ACE inhibitors and beta blockers
A patient with heart failure who has been taking an ACE inhibitor, a thiazide diuretic, and a
beta blocker for several months comes to the clinic for evaluation. As part of the ongoing
assessment of this patient, the nurse will expect the provider to evaluate:
a. complete blood count.
, b. ejection fraction.
c. maximal exercise capacity.
d. serum electrolyte levels. - ✔✔d. serum electrolyte levels.
The potassium-sparing diuretic spironolactone (Aldactone) prolongs survival and
improves heart failure symptoms by which mechanism?
a. Blocking aldosterone receptors
b. Increasing diuresis
c. Reducing venous pressure
d. Reducing afterload - ✔✔a. Blocking aldosterone receptors
A nurse prepares to administer a scheduled dose of digoxin. The nurse finds a new laboratory
report showing a plasma digoxin level of 0.7 ng/mL. What action should the nurse take?
a. Withhold the drug for an hour and reassess the level.
b. Withhold the drug and notify the prescriber immediately.
c. Administer Digibind to counteract the toxicity.
d. Check the patient's apical pulse, and if it is within a safe range, administer the digoxin. -
✔✔d. Check the patient's apical pulse, and if it is within a safe range, administer the
digoxin.
A man asks a nurse why he cannot use digoxin (Lanoxin) for his heart failure, because both of
his parents used it for HF. The nurse will explain that digoxin is not first-line therapy for
which reason?
a. It causes tachycardia and increases the cardiac workload.
b. It does not correct the underlying pathology of heart failure.
c. It has a wide therapeutic range that makes dosing difficult.
