CARDIAC NCLEX PRACTICE EXAM /NCLEX CARDIAC PRACTICE EXAM ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
|ALREADY GRADED A+
Which of the following actions is the first priority of care for a pt exhibiting signs & symptoms of
coronary artery disease?
1. Decrease anxiety
2. Enhance myocardial oxygenation
3. Administer sublingual nitroglycerin
4. Educate the pt about his symptoms - (ANSWER)2. Enhancing myocardial oxygenation is always the
first priority when a pt exhibits signs or symptoms of cardiac compromise. W/out adequate oxygenation,
the myocardium suffers damage. Sublingual nitroglycerin is administered to treat acute angina, but
administration isn't the first priority. Although educating the pt & decreasing anxiety are important in
care delivery, neither are priorities when a pt is compromised.
Medical treatment of coronary artery disease includes which of the following procedures?
1. Cardiac catherization
2. Coronary artery bypass surgery
3. Oral med therapy
4. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty - (ANSWER)3. Oral med administration is a
noninvasive, medical treatment for coronary artery disease. Cardiac catherization isn't a treatment, but
a diagnostic tool. Coronary artery bypass surgery & percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are
invasive, surgical treatments.
Which of the following is the most common symptom of myocardial infarction (MI)?
1. Chest pain
2. Dyspnea
3. Edema
4. Palpitations - (ANSWER)1. The most common symptom of an MI is chest pain, resulting from
deprivation of oxygen to the heart. Dyspnea is the second most common symptom, related to an
,CARDIAC NCLEX PRACTICE EXAM /NCLEX CARDIAC PRACTICE EXAM ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
|ALREADY GRADED A+
increase in the metabolic needs of the body during an MI. Edema is a later sign of heart failure, often
seen after an MI. Palpitations may result from reduced cardiac output, producing arrhythmias.
Which of the following symptoms is the most likely origin of pain the pt described as knifelike chest pain
that increases in intensity with inspiration?
1. Cardiac
2. Gastrointestinal
3. Musculoskeletal
4. Pulmonary - (ANSWER)4. Pulmonary pain is generally described by these symptoms. Musculoskeletal
pain only increases w/ movement. Cardiac & GI pains don't change w/ respiration.
Which of the following blood tests is most indicative of cardiac damage?
1. Lactate dehydrogenase
2. Complete blood count (CBC)
3. Troponin I
4. Creatine kinase (CK) - (ANSWER)3. Troponin I levels rise rapidly & are detectable w/in 1 hour of
myocardial injury. Troponin I levels aren't detectable in people w/out cardiac injury. Lactate
dehydrogenase (LDH) is present in almost all body tissues & not specific to heart muscle. LDH
isoenzymes are useful in diagnosing cardiac injury. CBC is obtained to review blood counts, & a complete
chemistry is obtained to review electrolytes. Because CK levels may rise w/ skeletal muscle injury, CK
isoenzymes are required to detect cardiac injury
What is the primary reason for administering morphine to a pt with an MI?
1. To sedate the pt
2. To decrease the pt's pain
3. To decrease the pt's anxiety
, CARDIAC NCLEX PRACTICE EXAM /NCLEX CARDIAC PRACTICE EXAM ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
|ALREADY GRADED A+
4. To decrease oxygen demand on the pt's heart - (ANSWER)4. Morphine is administered because it
decreases myocardial oxygen demand. Morphine will also decrease pain & anxiety while causing
sedation, but it isn't primarily given for those reasons.
Which of the following conditions is most commonly responsible for myocardial infarction?
1. Aneurysm
2. Heart failure
3. Coronary artery thrombosis
4. Renal failure - (ANSWER)3. Coronary artery thrombosis causes an inclusion of the artery, leading to
myocardial death. An aneurysm is an outpouching of a vessel & doesn't cause an MI. Renal failure can
be associated w/ MI but isn't a direct cause. Heart failure is usually a result from an MI.
Which of the following complications is indicated by a third heart sound (S3)?
1. Ventricular dilation
2. Systemic hypertension
3. Aortic valve malfunction
4. Increased atrial contractions - (ANSWER)1. Rapid filling of the ventricle causes vasodilation that is
auscultated as S3. Increased atrial contraction or systemic hypertension can result in a fourth heart
sound. Aortic valve malfunction is heard as a murmur.
After an anterior wall myocardial infarction, which of the following problems is indicated by auscultation
of crackles in the lungs?
1. Left-sided heart failure
2. Pulmonic valve malfunction
3. Right-sided heart failure
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
|ALREADY GRADED A+
Which of the following actions is the first priority of care for a pt exhibiting signs & symptoms of
coronary artery disease?
1. Decrease anxiety
2. Enhance myocardial oxygenation
3. Administer sublingual nitroglycerin
4. Educate the pt about his symptoms - (ANSWER)2. Enhancing myocardial oxygenation is always the
first priority when a pt exhibits signs or symptoms of cardiac compromise. W/out adequate oxygenation,
the myocardium suffers damage. Sublingual nitroglycerin is administered to treat acute angina, but
administration isn't the first priority. Although educating the pt & decreasing anxiety are important in
care delivery, neither are priorities when a pt is compromised.
Medical treatment of coronary artery disease includes which of the following procedures?
1. Cardiac catherization
2. Coronary artery bypass surgery
3. Oral med therapy
4. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty - (ANSWER)3. Oral med administration is a
noninvasive, medical treatment for coronary artery disease. Cardiac catherization isn't a treatment, but
a diagnostic tool. Coronary artery bypass surgery & percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are
invasive, surgical treatments.
Which of the following is the most common symptom of myocardial infarction (MI)?
1. Chest pain
2. Dyspnea
3. Edema
4. Palpitations - (ANSWER)1. The most common symptom of an MI is chest pain, resulting from
deprivation of oxygen to the heart. Dyspnea is the second most common symptom, related to an
,CARDIAC NCLEX PRACTICE EXAM /NCLEX CARDIAC PRACTICE EXAM ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
|ALREADY GRADED A+
increase in the metabolic needs of the body during an MI. Edema is a later sign of heart failure, often
seen after an MI. Palpitations may result from reduced cardiac output, producing arrhythmias.
Which of the following symptoms is the most likely origin of pain the pt described as knifelike chest pain
that increases in intensity with inspiration?
1. Cardiac
2. Gastrointestinal
3. Musculoskeletal
4. Pulmonary - (ANSWER)4. Pulmonary pain is generally described by these symptoms. Musculoskeletal
pain only increases w/ movement. Cardiac & GI pains don't change w/ respiration.
Which of the following blood tests is most indicative of cardiac damage?
1. Lactate dehydrogenase
2. Complete blood count (CBC)
3. Troponin I
4. Creatine kinase (CK) - (ANSWER)3. Troponin I levels rise rapidly & are detectable w/in 1 hour of
myocardial injury. Troponin I levels aren't detectable in people w/out cardiac injury. Lactate
dehydrogenase (LDH) is present in almost all body tissues & not specific to heart muscle. LDH
isoenzymes are useful in diagnosing cardiac injury. CBC is obtained to review blood counts, & a complete
chemistry is obtained to review electrolytes. Because CK levels may rise w/ skeletal muscle injury, CK
isoenzymes are required to detect cardiac injury
What is the primary reason for administering morphine to a pt with an MI?
1. To sedate the pt
2. To decrease the pt's pain
3. To decrease the pt's anxiety
, CARDIAC NCLEX PRACTICE EXAM /NCLEX CARDIAC PRACTICE EXAM ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
|ALREADY GRADED A+
4. To decrease oxygen demand on the pt's heart - (ANSWER)4. Morphine is administered because it
decreases myocardial oxygen demand. Morphine will also decrease pain & anxiety while causing
sedation, but it isn't primarily given for those reasons.
Which of the following conditions is most commonly responsible for myocardial infarction?
1. Aneurysm
2. Heart failure
3. Coronary artery thrombosis
4. Renal failure - (ANSWER)3. Coronary artery thrombosis causes an inclusion of the artery, leading to
myocardial death. An aneurysm is an outpouching of a vessel & doesn't cause an MI. Renal failure can
be associated w/ MI but isn't a direct cause. Heart failure is usually a result from an MI.
Which of the following complications is indicated by a third heart sound (S3)?
1. Ventricular dilation
2. Systemic hypertension
3. Aortic valve malfunction
4. Increased atrial contractions - (ANSWER)1. Rapid filling of the ventricle causes vasodilation that is
auscultated as S3. Increased atrial contraction or systemic hypertension can result in a fourth heart
sound. Aortic valve malfunction is heard as a murmur.
After an anterior wall myocardial infarction, which of the following problems is indicated by auscultation
of crackles in the lungs?
1. Left-sided heart failure
2. Pulmonic valve malfunction
3. Right-sided heart failure
