ATI RN
Cardiovascular System Exam Questions Pdf
1. What is a condition where the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients?
- A. Stroke
- B. Heart attack
- C. Pulmonary embolism
- D. Pneumonia
Correct answer: A
Rationale: A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, leading to brain cell death and potential disability. Choice B, a heart attack, involves a blockage in the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle. Choice C, a pulmonary embolism, is a blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs. Choice D, pneumonia, is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs.
2. The nurse is giving digoxin to a client. What is the most important parameter to check before administration?
- A. Heart rate
- B. Blood pressure
- C. Respiratory rate
- D. Oxygen saturation
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Heart rate. Before administering digoxin, it is crucial to check the client's heart rate because digoxin can cause bradycardia, an abnormally slow heart rate. Monitoring the heart rate is essential to prevent potential complications associated with digoxin therapy. Choices B, C, and D are less critical parameters to assess before administering digoxin. While blood pressure is also important to monitor during digoxin therapy, the most crucial parameter to check due to the medication's potential effect on heart rate is the heart rate itself.
3. Which procedure is used to restore a normal heart rhythm in patients with arrhythmias, typically using electrical shocks?
- A. Cardioversion
- B. Defibrillation
- C. Ablation
- D. Angioplasty
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Cardioversion. Cardioversion is the procedure used to restore a normal heart rhythm in patients with arrhythmias by delivering controlled electrical shocks to the heart. Choice B, Defibrillation, is incorrect because defibrillation is used to treat life-threatening arrhythmias by delivering an unsynchronized high-energy shock to the heart. Choice C, Ablation, is incorrect as it involves destroying abnormal tissue that causes arrhythmias, not necessarily restoring normal heart rhythm. Choice D, Angioplasty, is unrelated to heart rhythm restoration and is a procedure to open blocked or narrowed blood vessels.
4. What is a chronic condition where the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged, reducing its ability to pump blood effectively?
- A. Dilated cardiomyopathy
- B. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- C. Myocarditis
- D. Pericarditis
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Dilated cardiomyopathy is characterized by the weakening and enlargement of the heart muscle, leading to its reduced ability to pump blood effectively. This condition is different from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which involves abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, which is inflammation of the pericardium. Therefore, the correct answer is Dilated cardiomyopathy.
5. What is a surgical procedure to create an opening in the windpipe to assist with breathing?
- A. Tracheostomy
- B. Lobectomy
- C. Thoracotomy
- D. Pleurodesis
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Tracheostomy is the correct answer. It is a surgical procedure to create an opening in the windpipe (trachea) to assist with breathing. This procedure is commonly used for patients who require long-term ventilation support. Choice B, Lobectomy, involves the removal of a lobe of the lung and is not related to creating an opening in the windpipe. Choice C, Thoracotomy, is a surgical incision into the chest wall and is not specifically related to creating an opening in the windpipe. Choice D, Pleurodesis, is a procedure to treat recurrent pleural effusions by causing the pleural layers to stick together, and it is not related to creating an opening in the windpipe.
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