AACN PCCN Review: Cardiac Complications Questions and Answers 2025

AACN PCCN Review: Cardiac Complications
Questions and Answers 2025
AcuteAPulmonaryAEdemaA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
ChangeAinAalveolar-capillaryAmembraneApermeabilityA

leadsAtoApulmonaryAinterstitialAedema.
Alveolar-CapillaryAMembraneA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
a.ACapillaryAEndothelialALayer:AMicrovascularABarrier
b.AAlveolarAEpithelialALayer:AAlveolarABarrier
Alveolar-CapillaryAMembrane:A
FluidADynamicsA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-a.AHydrostaticApressure
b.AOsmoticApressure
c.AMembraneApermeability
MostAcommonAtypeAofApulmonaryAEdemaA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
CariogenicAPulmonaryAEdema
CariogenicAPulmonaryAEdemaAoccursAwhenA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
IncreaseAinAhydrostaticApressureAwithinAtheApulmonaryAcapillaryAbedA

AAresultAofAheartAfailure
CausesAofACariogenicAPulmonaryAEdemaA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-HeartAFailure
MyocardialAInfarction
CardiacAIschemia
AcuteAMitralARegurgitation
CardiacATamponade
TachyADysrhythmias
HypertensiveACrisis
Non-CardiogenicAPulmonaryAEdemaA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
TheAimpairedAendothelialAintegrityA(changeAinApermeability)AisAtypicallyAcausedAbyAaAdirect
AorAindirectAinjuryAtoAtheAlungAtissue.A




AcuteArespiratoryAdistressAsyndromeA(ARDS)AisAaAformAofAnon-
cardiogenicApulmonaryAedema.
Non-CardiogenicAPulmonaryAEdemaA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
a.AImpairedAendothelialAintegrity
b.ADecreasedAcolloidalAoncoticApressure
c.AElevatedAcapillaryAhydrostaticApressure
d.ALymphaticAobstruction
HistoryAtoAlookAforAassociatedAwithAPulmonaryAEdemaA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
a.ACardiogenicAPulmonaryAEdema
b.AAcuteACardiacAEvent
c.AChestAPain
d.ATachy-Palpitations

, e.ANewADysrhythmia
f.AHistoryAofAIschemicAHeartADisease
g.AAcuteACPAand/orASOBAinAtheAAbsenceAofAAnyAOtherAPathologies
h.AAbsenceAofACardiacAHxADoesANotARuleAOutACPE
PulmonaryAEdemaAPhysicalAExamA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
a.ADyspnea,ATachypneaA&AApprehension
b.APresenceAofAS3AHeartASound
c.AJugularAVenousADistension
d.ABreathASounds
e.AIncreasedAFrothyASputumAProduction
f.ALaterallyADisplacedAPointAofAMaximalAImpulseA(PMI)
g.ANewAorALouderACardiacAMurmur
h.AUnilateralALungAAdventitiousASounds:AmoreAcommonlyAassessedAinAnon-cardiogenic
i.ADiffuseADecreasedABreathASounds:AmoreAcommonlyAassessedAinAnon-cardiogenic
j.APeripheralAEdemaAisAnon-specific
ChestAXrayAforACariogenicAversusAnonACariogenicAPulmonaryAEdemaA-
ACORRECTAANSWERS-

CariogenicAwillAhaveApatchyAinfiltratesAatAtheAbases,Acardiomegaly
MostACommonAECGAFindingsAinACariogenicAPulmonaryAEdeamA-
ACORRECTAANSWERS-TachycardiaAorAacuteAST-TAsegmentAchanges

EchoAforApulmonaryAedemaA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
HelpsAidentifyAmyocardialAischemia,AwallAmotionAabnormalities,AventricularAdysfunction,Av
alvularAdisease,AandALVAhypertrophy,AallAofAwhichAwillAsuggestAcardiogenicApulmonaryAed
ema.
PulmonaryAEdema:ALabAFindingsA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-a.ALowAOxygenASaturation
b.ARespiratoryAAlkalosis
c.ARefractoryAHypoxemia
TreatmentAofACariogenicAPulmonaryAEdemaA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-
a.ADiuretics:AFurosemideAIVA0.5AtoA1.0Amg/kg
b.AAnalgesics:AMorphineAIVA2A-A4mg
c.APreloadAReduction:ANitroglycerinASL
d.AOxygen/Intubation
e.AAfterloadAReductionAifASBPA>A100mmHg
A---IVANitroglycerinA10-20Amcg/minAorAconsider

A---IVANitroprussideA0.1A-A5.0Amcg/kg/min

f.AVasoconstrictionAifAHypotensive
A---SevereA(SBPA<A70mmHg)AandAS&SAofAshock:AIVANorepinephrineA0.5A-A30Amcg/min

A---ModerateA(SBPA70-A100mmHg)AwithAS&SAofAshock:AIVADopamineA5A-A15Amcg/kg/min

A---ModerateAwithoutAshock;AIVAdobutamineA2A-A20Amcg/kg/min

g.AFurtherADiagnosticAConsiderations
A---PulmonaryAArteryACatheter

A---Intra-AorticAballoonApump

A---CardiacAAngiography

AORTICAANEURYSMA-ACORRECTAANSWERS-AAlocalizedAdilationAofAtheAarterialAwall

CanAbeAsaccular,AfusiformAorAcylindrical.A