ATI RN
Cardiovascular System Exam Questions Pdf
1. What is an infection that causes inflammation in the air sacs of one or both lungs, which may fill with fluid or pus?
- A. Pneumonia
- B. Tuberculosis
- C. Pleurisy
- D. Pulmonary edema
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A, Pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, which may fill with fluid or pus, causing symptoms like cough, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. Tuberculosis (B) is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but is caused by a different bacterium. Pleurisy (C) is inflammation of the tissues that line the lungs and chest cavity, not the air sacs. Pulmonary edema (D) is a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs' air sacs but is often due to heart problems rather than an infection.
2. The client on clopidogrel (Plavix) should be monitored for which adverse effect?
- A. Bleeding
- B. Hypertension
- C. Tachycardia
- D. Bradycardia
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Correct! Clopidogrel (Plavix) is an antiplatelet medication that helps prevent blood clots. As a side effect, it can increase the risk of bleeding. Monitoring for signs of bleeding, such as easy bruising, blood in urine or stools, or prolonged bleeding from cuts, is crucial. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as hypertension, tachycardia, and bradycardia are not typically associated with clopidogrel use.
3. 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?
- A. Dilated cardiomyopathy
- B. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- C. Restrictive cardiomyopathy
- D. Myocarditis
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.
4. What test uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart, allowing doctors to see how well the heart is functioning?
- A. Echocardiogram
- B. MRI
- C. CT scan
- D. X-ray
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is an echocardiogram. This test utilizes sound waves to generate images of the heart, enabling doctors to evaluate both the function and structure of the heart. Choice B, MRI, uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the body's organs and structures, not specifically focused on the heart. Choice C, CT scan, employs X-rays to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body, not primarily for the heart. Choice D, X-ray, uses electromagnetic radiation to produce images of internal structures, but it does not provide the detailed pictures of the heart's function that an echocardiogram does.
5. 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.
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