ATI RN
Cardiovascular System Exam Questions Pdf
1. The client on enoxaparin (Lovenox) is scheduled for surgery. What is the nurse’s priority action?
- A. Hold the enoxaparin and notify the healthcare provider.
- B. Administer the enoxaparin as scheduled.
- C. Administer vitamin K before the surgery.
- D. Monitor the client’s INR and proceed with surgery.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Hold the enoxaparin and notify the healthcare provider. Enoxaparin, being an anticoagulant, should be held before surgery to reduce the risk of excessive bleeding during the procedure. It is crucial to inform the healthcare provider to determine the appropriate management plan. Choice B is incorrect because administering enoxaparin before surgery can increase the risk of bleeding. Choice C is incorrect as vitamin K administration is not typically indicated in this situation. Choice D is incorrect because monitoring the client's INR and proceeding with surgery without addressing the enoxaparin can lead to significant bleeding complications.
2. The client is on a calcium channel blocker. What is the expected effect on the heart?
- A. Increased heart rate
- B. Decreased heart rate
- C. Increased blood pressure
- D. Decreased blood pressure
Correct answer: D
Rationale: When a client is on a calcium channel blocker, the expected effect on the heart is a decreased heart rate and decreased blood pressure. Calcium channel blockers work by dilating blood vessels and reducing the heart's workload, resulting in decreased blood pressure. Choice A, increased heart rate, is incorrect as calcium channel blockers actually have a negative chronotropic effect, reducing the heart rate. Choice C, increased blood pressure, is also incorrect because these medications are used to lower blood pressure.
3. This is a more accurate indicator of tissue perfusion. It represents the cardiac output in terms of liters per minute per square meter of body surface area. Its normal range is 2.4-4 L/min.
- A. Cardiac Index
- B. Stroke volume
- C. Ejection fraction
- D. Cardiac output
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Cardiac Index. Cardiac Index is a measure of cardiac output relative to body surface area, providing a more accurate assessment of tissue perfusion. It is calculated by dividing the cardiac output by the body surface area. The normal range for cardiac index is 2.4-4 L/min/m². Choice B, Stroke volume, refers to the amount of blood ejected by the heart in one contraction and is not adjusted for body surface area. Choice C, Ejection fraction, is the percentage of blood pumped out of the heart's ventricles with each contraction, not adjusted for body surface area. Choice D, Cardiac output, is the total volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute, without considering body surface area.
4. The client is on warfarin and has an INR of 1.5. What is the nurse’s priority action?
- A. Increase the dose of warfarin.
- B. Hold the next dose of warfarin.
- C. Continue the current dose of warfarin.
- D. Monitor the client’s INR closely.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: An INR of 1.5 is below the therapeutic range for a client on warfarin, indicating that the client may be at risk of clot formation. The nurse's priority action should be to hold the next dose of warfarin to prevent further reduction of the INR. Increasing the dose could potentially lead to an increased risk of bleeding, and continuing the current dose may not be sufficient to bring the INR within the therapeutic range. Monitoring the client's INR closely is important but not the priority action in this scenario.
5. Which chronic respiratory condition is characterized by the narrowing and inflammation of the airways, leading to difficulty breathing?
- A. Asthma
- B. COPD
- C. Bronchitis
- D. Pneumonia
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Asthma is the correct answer. It is a chronic respiratory condition where the airways become inflamed and narrowed, leading to episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. Asthma is characterized by reversible airflow obstruction, differentiating it from COPD, which involves irreversible airflow limitation. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes without the same reversible airflow obstruction seen in asthma. Pneumonia is an infection of the lung tissue and does not involve chronic inflammation and narrowing of the airways like asthma.
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