Cardiac
Cardiac Practice Questions NCLEX Exam 2 Study
Guide Questions and Answers 2025
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 -Correct 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 -Correct 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
Cardiac
,Cardiac
4. Palpitations -Correct 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 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 -Correct 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) -Correct 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
Cardiac
, Cardiac
3. To decrease the pt's anxiety
4. To decrease oxygen demand on the pt's heart -Correct 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 -Correct 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 -Correct 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
Cardiac
Cardiac Practice Questions NCLEX Exam 2 Study
Guide Questions and Answers 2025
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 -Correct 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 -Correct 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
Cardiac
,Cardiac
4. Palpitations -Correct 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 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 -Correct 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) -Correct 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
Cardiac
, Cardiac
3. To decrease the pt's anxiety
4. To decrease oxygen demand on the pt's heart -Correct 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 -Correct 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 -Correct 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
Cardiac
