ATI LPN
Cardiovascular Exam Questions Quizlet Questions
Question 1 of 5
Dysrhythmias are significant since they
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dysrhythmias can be indicative of an underlying pathophysiologic disorder. Dysrhythmias can impair normal cardiac output and lead to serious patient complications. Dysrhythmias are not an indicator of life span, but they may certainly shorten a patient's life span. Dysrhythmias do not impair venous return, but they do impair cardiac output. Alone, dysrhythmias do not increase the severity of heart murmurs.
Question 2 of 5
Which of the following does not supply the heart with nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The inferior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood to the heart, unlike the coronary arteries, which supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle.
Question 3 of 5
Which blood pressure(BP) finding by the nurse indicates that no changes in therapy are needed for a patient with stage 1 hypertension who has a history of diabetes mellitus?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The goal for antihypertensive therapy for a patient with hypertension and diabetes mellitus is a BP<130/80 mm Hg. The BP of 102/60 may indicate overtreatment of the hypertension and an increased risk for adverse drug effects. The other two blood pressures indicate a need for modifications in the patient's treatment.
Question 4 of 5
The nursing lab instructor is teaching student nurses how to take blood pressure. To ensure accurate measurement, the lab instructor would teach the students to avoid which of the following actions?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Blood pressures should be taken with the patient seated with arm bare, supported, and at heart level. The patient should not have smoked tobacco or taken caffeine in the 30 minutes preceding the measurement. The patient should rest quietly for 5 minutes before the reading is taken. The cuff bladder should encircle at least $80 \%$ of the limb being measured and have a width of at least $40 \%$ of limb circumference. Using a cuff that is too large results in a lower BP and a cuff that is too small will give a higher BP measurement.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is reviewing the medication administration record of a patient who takes a variety of medications for the treatment of hypertension. What is a key therapeutic benefit of antihypertensive medications that the nurse should identify?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The medications used for treating hypertension decrease peripheral resistance, blood volume, or the strength and rate of myocardial contraction. The original question was a multiple-answer type, but it has been restructured to a single-answer format focusing on a key benefit (decreased peripheral resistance). Antihypertensives do not increase venous return, blood viscosity, or myocardial oxygen demand.