ATI RN
Cardiovascular System Exam
1. The client on a beta blocker has a blood pressure of 88/58 mm Hg. What is the nurse’s priority action?
- A. Hold the beta blocker and notify the healthcare provider.
- B. Administer the beta blocker as ordered.
- C. Increase the dose of the beta blocker.
- D. Continue to monitor the client and reassess in 30 minutes.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take when a client on a beta blocker presents with a blood pressure of 88/58 mm Hg is to hold the beta blocker and notify the healthcare provider. Beta blockers can further decrease blood pressure, which is already low in this case. Administering the beta blocker as ordered (Choice B) would exacerbate the hypotension. Increasing the dose of the beta blocker (Choice C) would be inappropriate and unsafe given the low blood pressure. Continuing to monitor the client and reassessing in 30 minutes (Choice D) could lead to a delay in necessary intervention. Therefore, the priority is to hold the medication and seek guidance from the healthcare provider.
2. The nurse is giving nitroglycerin sublingually for chest pain. What is the most important instruction to give to the client?
- A. Place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve completely.
- B. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.
- C. Chew the tablet and then swallow it.
- D. Take one tablet every 5 minutes until pain is relieved.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. The tablet should be placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve completely to ensure rapid absorption. This route of administration allows the medication to be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Choice B is incorrect because nitroglycerin is meant to be absorbed sublingually, not swallowed. Choice C is incorrect as chewing the tablet can cause the medication to be rapidly absorbed, leading to adverse effects like a drop in blood pressure. Choice D is incorrect because the client should take only one tablet every 5 minutes up to a maximum of three tablets for chest pain relief.
3. What is a condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the legs, and can lead to serious complications if it travels to the lungs?
- A. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- B. Pulmonary embolism
- C. Varicose veins
- D. Raynaud's disease
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A, Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the legs. If the clot dislodges and travels to the lungs, it can lead to a serious condition called a pulmonary embolism. Choice B, pulmonary embolism, is incorrect as it is the consequence of a DVT clot traveling to the lungs, not the initial condition. Choices C and D, varicose veins, and Raynaud's disease, respectively, are unrelated conditions to the formation of blood clots in deep veins.
4. What is the condition where the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, becomes inflamed, leading to chest pain and other symptoms?
- A. Pericarditis
- B. Myocarditis
- C. Endocarditis
- D. Pulmonary hypertension
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Pericarditis is the correct answer. It is the inflammation of the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, which can lead to chest pain and other symptoms. Myocarditis (choice B) is inflammation of the heart muscle, not the pericardium. Endocarditis (choice C) is inflammation of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves, not the pericardium. Pulmonary hypertension (choice D) is high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs, not related to pericardial inflammation.
5. Which heart chamber receives oxygenated blood from the four pulmonary veins and serves as a reservoir during ventricular systole?
- A. Right atrium
- B. Left atrium
- C. Right ventricle
- D. Left ventricle
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B, Left atrium. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via the four pulmonary veins and acts as a holding chamber before the blood is pumped into the left ventricle. Choice A, Right atrium, is incorrect as it receives deoxygenated blood from the body via the vena cava. Choices C and D, Right ventricle and Left ventricle, are incorrect as they receive blood from the atria, not the pulmonary veins.
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