ATI RN
Cardiovascular System Exam Questions Pdf
1. The nurse is administering nitroglycerin IV to a client with chest pain. What is the most important parameter to monitor?
- A. Blood pressure
- B. Heart rate
- C. Oxygen saturation
- D. Respiratory rate
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Blood pressure. When administering nitroglycerin IV to a client with chest pain, monitoring blood pressure is crucial as nitroglycerin can cause significant hypotension. While heart rate, oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate are important parameters to assess, blood pressure takes precedence in this scenario due to the potential hypotensive effects of nitroglycerin.
2. What is a severe allergic reaction that can cause difficulty breathing and shock?
- A. Anaphylaxis
- B. Asthma attack
- C. Bronchospasm
- D. Hypersensitivity
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Anaphylaxis is the correct answer. It is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can lead to difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. An asthma attack is a separate condition characterized by narrowed airways and difficulty breathing, but it is not necessarily related to an allergic reaction like anaphylaxis. Bronchospasm refers to the sudden constriction of muscles in the bronchi, leading to breathing difficulties, and is not specific to allergic reactions. Hypersensitivity is a general term for an exaggerated immune response to a substance, which may or may not manifest as severe allergic reactions like anaphylaxis.
3. What is the amount of tension the ventricle must develop during contraction to eject blood from the left ventricle into the aorta?
- A. Afterload
- B. Preload
- C. Automaticity
- D. Ejection fraction
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Afterload is the correct answer because it refers to the pressure or tension that the ventricle must overcome during systole to eject blood into the aorta. Preload, on the other hand, is the degree of stretch of the ventricular muscle at the end of diastole before it contracts. Automaticity is the ability of the heart to generate electrical impulses independently, and ejection fraction is the percentage of blood pumped out of the ventricle with each heartbeat. Therefore, in the context of the question, afterload best describes the amount of tension the ventricle must develop to eject blood into the aorta.
4. After the AV node, the electrical impulse is then transmitted into the _________, and into the _________.
- A. Purkinje fibers, ventricles
- B. Atria, ventricles
- C. Bundle of His, Purkinje fibers
- D. Ventricles, Purkinje fibers
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. After the AV node, the electrical impulse is transmitted to the Bundle of His and then to the Purkinje fibers. This sequence is crucial for the coordinated contraction of the ventricles. Choice A (Purkinje fibers, ventricles) is incorrect because the Purkinje fibers come after the Bundle of His in the sequence of electrical conduction. Choice B (Atria, ventricles) is incorrect because the impulse does not go back to the atria after passing through the AV node. Choice D (Ventricles, Purkinje fibers) is incorrect because the impulse first reaches the Bundle of His before spreading to the Purkinje fibers.
5. What is a condition where the lung's air sacs (alveoli) are damaged and enlarged, leading to breathlessness?
- A. Emphysema
- B. Chronic bronchitis
- C. Asthma
- D. Pulmonary fibrosis
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Emphysema is the correct answer. It is a condition where the air sacs in the lungs are damaged and enlarged, leading to breathlessness. Chronic bronchitis is characterized by inflammation of the bronchial tubes, not the alveoli. Asthma involves airway inflammation and constriction, not alveolar damage. Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition where lung tissue becomes thickened and scarred, different from the alveolar damage seen in emphysema.
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