this is a chronic condition where the heart muscle is weakened and unable to pump blood effectively often leading to heart failure
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Cardiovascular System Exam Questions Pdf

1. Which of the following is a chronic condition where the heart muscle is weakened and unable to pump blood effectively, often leading to heart failure?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Dilated cardiomyopathy is characterized by the heart muscle being weakened and unable to pump blood effectively, ultimately resulting in heart failure. Choice B, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, involves the heart muscle becoming abnormally thick, reducing the heart's efficiency. Choice C, Restrictive cardiomyopathy, refers to the heart becoming rigid and less able to fill with blood properly. Myocarditis, as in Choice D, is inflammation of the heart muscle usually caused by a viral infection and is different from the chronic weakening seen in dilated cardiomyopathy.

2. What is a surgical procedure to redirect blood flow around a blocked or narrowed artery, often involving the use of a graft from another part of the body?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). This surgical procedure is used to redirect blood flow around a blocked or narrowed artery by using a graft from another part of the body. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because valve replacement involves replacing heart valves, aneurysm repair addresses the treatment of aneurysms, and atherectomy is a procedure to remove plaque from blood vessels, none of which match the description provided in the question.

3. The nurse is caring for a client on warfarin with an INR of 5.2. What is the most appropriate action?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: An INR of 5.2 is elevated, indicating an increased risk of bleeding. Administering vitamin K can help reverse the effects of warfarin, which is the most appropriate action in this situation. Holding the next dose of warfarin is not enough to address the high INR, and increasing the dose would further elevate the INR level. Monitoring the INR closely is important, but in this case, immediate action is needed to counteract the anticoagulant effects of warfarin.

4. This heart condition is characterized by decreased cardiac output and tissue perfusion, which can lead to organ failure.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Cardiogenic shock. Cardiogenic shock is a severe condition characterized by the heart's inability to pump enough blood, leading to decreased cardiac output and tissue perfusion, which can result in organ failure. Choice B, Myocardial infarction, specifically refers to a blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle. Choices C and D, Endocarditis and Pericarditis, do not directly involve decreased cardiac output leading to organ failure, making them incorrect in the context of the symptoms described in the question.

5. What structure separates the left and right sides of the heart?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The interventricular septum is the correct answer as it is the wall that separates the left and right sides of the heart, ensuring the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood do not mix. The endocardium is the inner lining of the heart chambers, the epicardium is the outermost layer of the heart wall, and the pericardium is the sac that surrounds the heart, providing protection and anchoring the heart in place. Therefore, choices B, C, and D are incorrect in the context of separating the left and right sides of the heart.

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