NR 507 Cardiovascular EXAM 2025
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QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES |A+
GRADE
Cardiovascular disorders - Answer - ✔✔ cardiovascular disorders are prevalent in
primary care. Many of the disorders develop over several years, due to the risk factors
to which individuals have been exposed. For each disorder covered in this unit, a
discussion of risk factors will be included. For the concepts covered below, clinical
application of each disease will be provided so that students can understand the
importance of pathophysiology in diagnosing and treating the disease.
Prerequisite knowledge:
For this content, you should have a basic knowledge of cardiac anatomy; know the
differences between the right and left sides of the heart, in terms of structure and
function. You should also possess solid knowledge of the unidirectional blood flow
through the heart. For example, deoxygenated blood arrives to the right side of the
heart, travels to the pulmonary arteries to release CO2 and pick up oxygen. At this
point, the oxygenated blood is carried from the lungs through the pulmonary veins to the
left side of the heart where it eventually reaches the aorta to carry oxygenated blood out
to the body organs. The cellular physiology related to cardiac contraction is another
important basic concept to know, as electrolytes (sodium, potassium and calcium) play
a major role in muscle contraction. Finally, the concepts of preload, afterload, and
contractility are essential to understand, as all of these can be affected in some way
when a person has cardiovascular disease.
What is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)? - Answer - ✔✔ CAD is considered the leading
cause of death in the United States (U.S.). It is the result of longstanding
atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis begins with damage to the endothelium. It is the endothelium, under
normal functioning that maintains balance between the vasoconstrictive and
vasodilation actions, prevents platelets from aggregating and control of the production
of fibrin. When the endothelium becomes damaged, our familiar inflammatory processes
occur. Macrophages attach to the endothelium, setting up phagocytosis; plaque
formation and vasoconstriction also occurs marking the beginning of atherosclerosis.
The plaque lesions located in the vessels become enlarged which allows the plaque to
progress within the enlarged vessel lumen. The plaque lesion disrupts normal blood
flow and causes thrombus formation which can be triggered by cardiac risk factors such
as elevated LDL, cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.
, So, why is this a problem?
Well, the plaque takes decades to develop in the coronary arteries. With mild disease,
blood flow can get through the arteries and the patient is asymptomatic. Overtime, this
build up can lead to narrowing which results in decreased oxygen supply. When
atherosclerosis reaches a clinically significant level, the patient will begin to experience
angina. Further progression of the disease will result in acute coronary syndrome
(ACS), formerly known as myocardial infarction (MI).
The major risk factor for the development of CAD - Answer - ✔✔ The major risk factor
for the development of CAD is family history. There is a 50% higher risk for individuals
to develop heart disease if they have a first degree relative (especially father) or sibling
who has suffered from ACS or premature cardiac death (< age 55 years). Lifestyle also
impacts risk, especially tobacco use and even secondhand smoke exposure. It is
always important for the NP to stress smoking cessation with all patients who smoke
tobacco, in order to decrease the patient's risk for CAD. Sedentary lifestyle will also
increase one's risk for developing CAD. Physical inactivity can lead to overweight (BMI
25-29.9) or obesity (BMI 30 and above). Male gender, hypertension, Elevated total
cholesterol, elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and/or decreased high-density
lipoprotein (HDL) are also risk factors, as well as diabetes mellitus.
Myocardial ischemia - Answer - ✔✔ Myocardial ischemia is the cause of his chest pain.
Ischemia occurs when the heart's oxygen demand exceeds supply. For this patient, he
experienced his chest pain during exercise. Ischemia occurred because of the
narrowing of at least one coronary artery by atherosclerotic plaques. The result is the
narrowing of the diameter of the coronary artery. This reduces oxygenated blood flow
through the artery that leads to an insufficient oxygen supply to the heart. Adenosine is
also released that stimulates sympathetic nerve fibers that causes atrial and ventricular
contraction. In addition, sympathetic stimulation occurs at the upper thoracic dorsal
roots of the spinal cord that leads to the arm pain.
C.G. has several risk factors contributing to the development of CAD: - Answer - ✔✔ 1)
male
2) family history of CAD
3) hypertension
4) smoking
CAD should strongly be suspected and further testing to assess the extent of the
patient's disease including: - Answer - ✔✔ Electrocardiogram (ECG), cardiac enzymes
& troponin, lipids, and cardiac stress test. In most cases, the patient will be referred to
and co-managed by a cardiologist. Treatment will include both non-pharmacological and
pharmacological management of the disease.
Heart Failure - Answer - ✔✔ Heart failure is a very complex disease state that can be
the result of structural or functional impairment of the heart, which then leads to the
LATEST EXAM LATEST VERSION
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES |A+
GRADE
Cardiovascular disorders - Answer - ✔✔ cardiovascular disorders are prevalent in
primary care. Many of the disorders develop over several years, due to the risk factors
to which individuals have been exposed. For each disorder covered in this unit, a
discussion of risk factors will be included. For the concepts covered below, clinical
application of each disease will be provided so that students can understand the
importance of pathophysiology in diagnosing and treating the disease.
Prerequisite knowledge:
For this content, you should have a basic knowledge of cardiac anatomy; know the
differences between the right and left sides of the heart, in terms of structure and
function. You should also possess solid knowledge of the unidirectional blood flow
through the heart. For example, deoxygenated blood arrives to the right side of the
heart, travels to the pulmonary arteries to release CO2 and pick up oxygen. At this
point, the oxygenated blood is carried from the lungs through the pulmonary veins to the
left side of the heart where it eventually reaches the aorta to carry oxygenated blood out
to the body organs. The cellular physiology related to cardiac contraction is another
important basic concept to know, as electrolytes (sodium, potassium and calcium) play
a major role in muscle contraction. Finally, the concepts of preload, afterload, and
contractility are essential to understand, as all of these can be affected in some way
when a person has cardiovascular disease.
What is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)? - Answer - ✔✔ CAD is considered the leading
cause of death in the United States (U.S.). It is the result of longstanding
atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis begins with damage to the endothelium. It is the endothelium, under
normal functioning that maintains balance between the vasoconstrictive and
vasodilation actions, prevents platelets from aggregating and control of the production
of fibrin. When the endothelium becomes damaged, our familiar inflammatory processes
occur. Macrophages attach to the endothelium, setting up phagocytosis; plaque
formation and vasoconstriction also occurs marking the beginning of atherosclerosis.
The plaque lesions located in the vessels become enlarged which allows the plaque to
progress within the enlarged vessel lumen. The plaque lesion disrupts normal blood
flow and causes thrombus formation which can be triggered by cardiac risk factors such
as elevated LDL, cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.
, So, why is this a problem?
Well, the plaque takes decades to develop in the coronary arteries. With mild disease,
blood flow can get through the arteries and the patient is asymptomatic. Overtime, this
build up can lead to narrowing which results in decreased oxygen supply. When
atherosclerosis reaches a clinically significant level, the patient will begin to experience
angina. Further progression of the disease will result in acute coronary syndrome
(ACS), formerly known as myocardial infarction (MI).
The major risk factor for the development of CAD - Answer - ✔✔ The major risk factor
for the development of CAD is family history. There is a 50% higher risk for individuals
to develop heart disease if they have a first degree relative (especially father) or sibling
who has suffered from ACS or premature cardiac death (< age 55 years). Lifestyle also
impacts risk, especially tobacco use and even secondhand smoke exposure. It is
always important for the NP to stress smoking cessation with all patients who smoke
tobacco, in order to decrease the patient's risk for CAD. Sedentary lifestyle will also
increase one's risk for developing CAD. Physical inactivity can lead to overweight (BMI
25-29.9) or obesity (BMI 30 and above). Male gender, hypertension, Elevated total
cholesterol, elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and/or decreased high-density
lipoprotein (HDL) are also risk factors, as well as diabetes mellitus.
Myocardial ischemia - Answer - ✔✔ Myocardial ischemia is the cause of his chest pain.
Ischemia occurs when the heart's oxygen demand exceeds supply. For this patient, he
experienced his chest pain during exercise. Ischemia occurred because of the
narrowing of at least one coronary artery by atherosclerotic plaques. The result is the
narrowing of the diameter of the coronary artery. This reduces oxygenated blood flow
through the artery that leads to an insufficient oxygen supply to the heart. Adenosine is
also released that stimulates sympathetic nerve fibers that causes atrial and ventricular
contraction. In addition, sympathetic stimulation occurs at the upper thoracic dorsal
roots of the spinal cord that leads to the arm pain.
C.G. has several risk factors contributing to the development of CAD: - Answer - ✔✔ 1)
male
2) family history of CAD
3) hypertension
4) smoking
CAD should strongly be suspected and further testing to assess the extent of the
patient's disease including: - Answer - ✔✔ Electrocardiogram (ECG), cardiac enzymes
& troponin, lipids, and cardiac stress test. In most cases, the patient will be referred to
and co-managed by a cardiologist. Treatment will include both non-pharmacological and
pharmacological management of the disease.
Heart Failure - Answer - ✔✔ Heart failure is a very complex disease state that can be
the result of structural or functional impairment of the heart, which then leads to the
