Barron's CCRN Cardiac questions 2025
with Answers
The nurse is caring for a patient with acute inferior wall MI, post-coronary artery
stent deployment. For optimal care of the patient, the nurse should:
a) administer an analgesic for acute back pain
b) Apply pressure dressing to groin
c) Continuously monitor the patient in lead II
d) Maintain the patient in a supine position - ANSWER-Answer: C
It is best practice to continuously monitor the patient status post PCI with stent, in
the lead that was most abnormal during the acute occlusion. Lead II would most
likely meet this criterion for the patient with an inferior wall MI. The remaining
interventions are NOT indicated for the patient post PCI.
The patient with aortic regurgitation will have which of the following on
auscultation?
a) Diastolic murmur, loudest at the 5th intercostal space, midclavicular
b) Systolic murmur, loudest at the apex of the heart
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,c) Diastolic murmur, loudest at the second intercostal space, right sternal border
d) Systolic murmur, loudest at the base of the heart - ANSWER-Answer: C
Aortic insufficiency (regurgitation) is backflow of blood during the time the aortic
valve should be closed. When is the aortic valve closed? During diastole —
therefore it is a diastolic murmur. The aortic area of auscultation is at the base of
the heart, second intercostal space, right sternal border.
Cardiogenic shock secondary to left ventricular failure will generally result in:
a) Decreased afterload
b) narrow pulse pressure
c) decreased preload
d) Widening pulse pressure - ANSWER-Answer: B
The systolic pressure decreases due to a drop in cardiac output; however, the
diastolic pressure either stays the same or increases due to a compensatory increase
of the systemic vascular resistance. The remaining choices are not found in
cardiogenic shock.
The patient was admitted with acute inferior wall STEMI; the physician advises the
nurse to monitor the patient for signs of right ventricular (RV) infarction. Which
of the following are signs of RV infarction?
a) S2 heart sounds, lung crackles
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,b) Hypotension, flat neck veins
c) Hypertension, systolic murmur
d) Distended neck veins, clear lungs - ANSWER-Answer: D
If the RV contractility decreases, pressure proximal to the right ventricle (which is
the right atrium) increases, resulting in distended neck veins. As the right heart
fails, left heart preload decreases, lung sounds clear.
The ECG demonstrates ST elevation in leads II, III and aVF. The nurse needs to
monitor the patient closely for which of the following?
a) Tachycardia, lung crackles
b) Sinus bradycardia, acute systolic murmur in the fifth intercostal space,
midclavicular
c) Second-degree heart block Type 2, hypotension
d) Hypoxemia, acute systolic murmur, 5th intercostal space left sternal border -
ANSWER-Answer: B
Complications likely to occur after an acute inferior wall MI include bradycardia
secondary to ischemia to the SA and/or AV node, and papillary muscle rupture or
dysfunction due to the anatomical distance between the right coronary artery and
the papillary muscle. The remaining choices are not common complications of
inferior MI.
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, Pulmonary hypertension may result in which of the following?
a) Left heart failure
b) Right heart failure
c) Increased lung compliance
d) Arterial hypertension - ANSWER-Answer: B
The right ventricular wall normally is thinner than the left because the RV generally
ejects into a low pressure pulmonary system with a mean pulmonary pressure of
approximately 20 mmHg. An increase in pulmonary pressure may result in failure
of the RV.
The patient with a temporary transvenous pacemaker develops pacemaker
malfunction. The orientee is instructed to reposition the patient to try to correct
the problem. The cardiac monitor most likely demonstrates:
a) Periods of asystole without pacemaker activity
b) Runs of ventricular tachycardia
c) Pacemaker spikes without a QRS
d) Pacemaker spikes on the T-wave of the patient's own beats - ANSWER-
Answer: C
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with Answers
The nurse is caring for a patient with acute inferior wall MI, post-coronary artery
stent deployment. For optimal care of the patient, the nurse should:
a) administer an analgesic for acute back pain
b) Apply pressure dressing to groin
c) Continuously monitor the patient in lead II
d) Maintain the patient in a supine position - ANSWER-Answer: C
It is best practice to continuously monitor the patient status post PCI with stent, in
the lead that was most abnormal during the acute occlusion. Lead II would most
likely meet this criterion for the patient with an inferior wall MI. The remaining
interventions are NOT indicated for the patient post PCI.
The patient with aortic regurgitation will have which of the following on
auscultation?
a) Diastolic murmur, loudest at the 5th intercostal space, midclavicular
b) Systolic murmur, loudest at the apex of the heart
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 1
,c) Diastolic murmur, loudest at the second intercostal space, right sternal border
d) Systolic murmur, loudest at the base of the heart - ANSWER-Answer: C
Aortic insufficiency (regurgitation) is backflow of blood during the time the aortic
valve should be closed. When is the aortic valve closed? During diastole —
therefore it is a diastolic murmur. The aortic area of auscultation is at the base of
the heart, second intercostal space, right sternal border.
Cardiogenic shock secondary to left ventricular failure will generally result in:
a) Decreased afterload
b) narrow pulse pressure
c) decreased preload
d) Widening pulse pressure - ANSWER-Answer: B
The systolic pressure decreases due to a drop in cardiac output; however, the
diastolic pressure either stays the same or increases due to a compensatory increase
of the systemic vascular resistance. The remaining choices are not found in
cardiogenic shock.
The patient was admitted with acute inferior wall STEMI; the physician advises the
nurse to monitor the patient for signs of right ventricular (RV) infarction. Which
of the following are signs of RV infarction?
a) S2 heart sounds, lung crackles
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,b) Hypotension, flat neck veins
c) Hypertension, systolic murmur
d) Distended neck veins, clear lungs - ANSWER-Answer: D
If the RV contractility decreases, pressure proximal to the right ventricle (which is
the right atrium) increases, resulting in distended neck veins. As the right heart
fails, left heart preload decreases, lung sounds clear.
The ECG demonstrates ST elevation in leads II, III and aVF. The nurse needs to
monitor the patient closely for which of the following?
a) Tachycardia, lung crackles
b) Sinus bradycardia, acute systolic murmur in the fifth intercostal space,
midclavicular
c) Second-degree heart block Type 2, hypotension
d) Hypoxemia, acute systolic murmur, 5th intercostal space left sternal border -
ANSWER-Answer: B
Complications likely to occur after an acute inferior wall MI include bradycardia
secondary to ischemia to the SA and/or AV node, and papillary muscle rupture or
dysfunction due to the anatomical distance between the right coronary artery and
the papillary muscle. The remaining choices are not common complications of
inferior MI.
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 3
, Pulmonary hypertension may result in which of the following?
a) Left heart failure
b) Right heart failure
c) Increased lung compliance
d) Arterial hypertension - ANSWER-Answer: B
The right ventricular wall normally is thinner than the left because the RV generally
ejects into a low pressure pulmonary system with a mean pulmonary pressure of
approximately 20 mmHg. An increase in pulmonary pressure may result in failure
of the RV.
The patient with a temporary transvenous pacemaker develops pacemaker
malfunction. The orientee is instructed to reposition the patient to try to correct
the problem. The cardiac monitor most likely demonstrates:
a) Periods of asystole without pacemaker activity
b) Runs of ventricular tachycardia
c) Pacemaker spikes without a QRS
d) Pacemaker spikes on the T-wave of the patient's own beats - ANSWER-
Answer: C
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