During a clinic appointment, a patient states, 'I came in because my calcium score was positive on my CT scan last week.' In which section of the patient assessment does the cardiac-vascular nurse document this finding?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The patient’s statement about the calcium score is the reason for the visit, making it the presenting problem. Past history (A) is prior diagnoses, B is lifestyle, and D is symptom review, not the chief complaint.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The bicuspid (mitral) valve is between the left atrium and left ventricle. Stenosis (narrowing) of this valve impedes blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle, causing blood to back up into the left atrium and subsequently into the pulmonary circuit (lungs), potentially leading to pulmonary congestion.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: During ventricular contraction (systole), most but not all blood is ejected (ejection fraction is typically 50-70%). Some blood remains in the ventricles (end-systolic volume), and properly functioning AV valves prevent backflow into the atria.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The vasa vasorum are small blood vessels nourishing the walls of larger arteries and veins, located in the tunica adventitia (and sometimes tunica media), as these walls are too thick for diffusion alone.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure exerted by the blood being pumped by the heart into the blood vessels, specifically measured in the larger arteries. Blood pressure may be influenced by the heart and intrathoracic pressure, but is accurately defined as pressure within the blood vessels. (Source: Document, Pretest Answer 5, p. 76)