cardiac Flashcards
Focused cardiac health history includes_
activity level, lifestyle choices, chest pain, palpitations, SOB, edema
T/F Palpitations are a subjective finding?
TRUE! They are a subjective finding b/c it’s what the pt feels; nurse cannot see or feel papitation, more of an irregular pulse and fast heart beat sound
pertinent activity level info is_
current activity level, amt of exercise:dly, wkly, mthly, lack or exercise:preference vs inability, pain c exercise, suddne onset of change in tolerable activity level: sudden onset or alwas been this way
pertinent lifestyle info includes_
smoking or tobacco use(pack use), caffeine intake (amt of coffee, tea, or energy drinks per day (energy drinks can affect heart rhythm palpitations), alcohol use(#of drinks/day, how many oz of hard alcohol *important to quantify), rx or illicit drug use(vicodin #1 drug addiction in US)
what is included in chest pain focused hx
chronic or acute onset(how long does it last/when does it come on), onset & duration, aggravating/relieving factors(exercise, deep breathing), quality (pressing, viselike-gripping pain, severe, ripping, where do you feel it), radiation to shoulder, jaw, back, neck–> women typically complain of upper back pain rather than chest pain (gender difference in complaints)
what is included in focused palpitations hx
description(skipping, racing, fluttering, pouding, is it due to anxiety, acute or chronic, any associated symptoms(cough, SOB, or nausea c chest pain), are there aggravating/alleviating factors
what do we want to know about SOB hx
dyspnea, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal, dyspnea, cough
what is dyspnea
difficulty c inspiration or expiration; sudden onset may be due to PE, pneumothorax, anxiety, or recent surgery
what is orthopnea
difficulty breathing when lying down; may be due to CHF; mostly seen in elderly pts
what is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
difficulty breathing & awakening during sleep; sleeping and wake up c difficulty breathing; may be due to HF, asthma, or COPD
what can a cough indicate
productive or nonproductive c chest pain may indicate CHF or coexisting pulmonary infection
what do we want to know about hx of edema
dependent edema-located in feet or ankles, periorbital edema - edema in tissues surrounding eyes
T/F Periorbital edema is a normal finding
FALSE! It is rarely a normal finding! May be due to severe pre-eclampsia, renal/liver failure *NORMAL in newborns but not after this point
T/F Pedal edema in pregnant women is normal
TRUE! It is only normal in pregnant women! ABNORMAL finding in elderly pts and can be indicative of CHF or vascular insufficiency
Dependent edema includes_
presence of sores that don_t heal on lower extremeties–>vascular or circulatory insufficiency, darkening of skin in ankles on darker individuals
what is involved in assessing the heart
eyes, neck, chest, peripheral aterial pulses, peripheral venous system, BP, HR, pulse pressure
what does an eye exam for assess of heart consist of
direct visualization of vasculature for pathology; vascular changes occur with HTN and other healthcare problems
what does a neck exam for heart assess consist of
observe rt jugular vein pressure to estimate central venous pressure
what does a chest exam for heart assess consist of
inspection of chest wall, auscultation of sounds, palpation for PMI, and/or thrills
why are peripheral arterial pulses assessed
indicates degree of perfusion, apical pulse and radial pulse comparison
why is the peripheral venous system assessed
it inicates degree of return of flow to heart
why are vitals signs assessed for the heart
they are an essential component of heart assessment
what is important in the vascular anatomy of the neck
palpation of carotid artery, assessment of juglar vein, assessment of jugular vain pressure
what is involved in the exam of the neck
carotid pulse-assessment of circulation to head and neck; bruits may be detected by listening with stethoscope
what is jugular venous pressure part of
examination of the neck! An assessment of: rt arterial pressure, central venous pressure, rt ventricular pressure
T/F Detection of a bruits in the carotid is a normal finding
FALSE! This is an ABNORMAL finding
changes in JVP indicate
fluctuations in volume status, rt and lt ventricular function, tricuspid & pulmonic patency, pericardial pressures, arrhythmias
low JVP indicate
hypovolemia(decrease in blood volume) possibly due to hemorrhage or trauma
what does an elevated JVP indicate
HF, pulmonary HTN, tricuspid stenosis, pericardial compression–>mostly important if there is suspicion that pt has CHF