📝 Cardiovascular Assessment Flashcards
What are the components of a comprehensive cardiovascular health assessment?
Primary assessment, secondary survey, and focused assessment.
What is the primary assessment acronym used?
DRS ABCDE (Danger, Response, Send for Help, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure).
What are the 5 moments to remember during a primary assessment?
Allergies, washing hands, preparing patient and obtaining consent, and having necessary equipment (stethoscope, pillow, watch).
Why is a careful health history important in cardiovascular assessment?
To understand the patient’s medical background, which can impact cardiovascular health.
What is the purpose of the secondary survey in cardiovascular assessment?
To conduct a thorough head-to-toe physical examination and gather subjective data through health history.
What aspects of respiratory history are important to inquire about?
Cough (moist or dry), shortness of breath (on exertion or at rest), orthopnea, hemoptysis, and wheezing/stridor.
How is peripheral circulation assessed?
By checking capillary refill time and examining for unilateral or bilateral edema.
Why is understanding a patient’s history of blood clots important?
To assess the risk of clot-related complications and determine appropriate interventions.
How does diabetes impact cardiovascular health?
It can affect circulation and increase susceptibility to infections.
What aspects of medication history are relevant in cardiovascular assessment?
Current medications, compliance, effectiveness, and any over-the-counter medications.
What surgical and diagnostic procedures should be considered in Mr. Jones’s history?
Heart or vein surgeries, hospital admissions for chest pain, and results of chest X-rays and ECGs.
How does lifestyle influence cardiovascular health?
Factors such as diet, smoking/alcohol use, sleep patterns, exercise habits, and stress coping mechanisms play a role.
Why is it important to inquire about allergies and family history?
Allergies can impact medication choices, while family history provides insights into genetic predispositions to cardiovascular conditions.
What is the goal of a cardiovascular health assessment?
To identify abnormalities by understanding normal values and the patient’s individual history.
What are some common terms related to cardiovascular health that should be understood?
Hypertension, myocardial infarction, angina, heart failure.
How can the normal heart sounds be related to events in the cardiac cycle?
By understanding the timing and characteristics of heart sounds such as S1 (lub) and S2 (dub) in relation to the closing of heart valves.
What are the five cardiovascular diagnostic tests?
ECG (electrocardiogram), echocardiogram, stress test, cardiac catheterization, and lipid profile.
What is the significance of knowing normal values in a cardiovascular assessment?
It provides a baseline for comparison to identify deviations and abnormalities.
Why is it important to address presenting problems first in a health history interview?
To prioritize immediate concerns and provide targeted care.
How does orthopnea relate to cardiovascular health?
It indicates difficulty breathing when lying flat, which can be a sign of heart failure.
What is the significance of capillary refill time in assessing peripheral circulation?
It indicates the adequacy of blood flow to the extremities.
How does medication compliance impact cardiovascular management?
Non-compliance can lead to inadequate control of cardiovascular conditions and increased risk of complications.
Why is it relevant to inquire about chest X-rays and ECG results in a patient’s history?
These diagnostic tests provide valuable information about cardiac structure and function.
How do lifestyle factors like diet and exercise influence cardiovascular health?
They can impact cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and overall heart health.
What role does psychosocial factors play in cardiovascular assessment?
Stress coping mechanisms, social support, and mental health can affect cardiovascular health outcomes.
What are some potential complications of blood clots in cardiovascular health?
Stroke, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis.
How does diabetes affect circulation and infections in cardiovascular health?
Diabetes can lead to peripheral vascular disease and increase the risk of infections in the feet and legs.
Why is it important to tailor a cardiovascular assessment to individual patient needs and concerns?
To ensure a patient-centered approach and address specific issues that may impact cardiovascular health.
Why is chest pain assessment important?
It helps identify heart conditions, including heart attacks, and other potential issues like aortic aneurysm.
What are the signs of a heart attack?
Chest pain is a common indicator, and quick intervention can improve outcomes. Tests like ECG and blood tests help confirm diagnosis.
What are the types of chest pain?
Cardiac (angina, myocardial infarction) and non-cardiac (musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and other causes).
What does the P in the PQRST mnemonic stand for?
Precipitating factors: What the patient was doing when the pain started, sudden or gradual onset.
What information is gathered during the Q (Quality) assessment?
Description of pain quality (sharp, dull, crushing), paying attention to red flag descriptors.
Which areas does the pain typically radiate to, as indicated by R in PQRST?
Neck, jaw, shoulders, arms, interscapular region, or epigastrium.
What does S represent in the PQRST mnemonic?
Severity of pain, often assessed using a pain scale.
How does the T (Timing) aspect help in chest pain assessment?
It assesses the onset, duration, frequency of pain, and any factors that exacerbate or alleviate it.
Name some associated signs and symptoms of chest pain.
Shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, sweating, pallor, feeling of impending doom, collapse.
What are some factors that can exacerbate chest pain?
Exercise, movement, stress, eating/drinking, breathing (especially pain on inspiration), trauma, palpation.
What vital signs should be assessed during a physical examination?
Heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, temperature, Glasgow Coma Scale, urine output, pain scale, blood sugars.
How is the chest inspected during a physical examination?
Look for deformities, scarring, bruising, lacerations, pulsations, and assess skin color for pallor or cyanosis.
What is assessed during palpation in chest pain assessment?
Temperature, moisture, pulses (rhythm and force), edema, and capillary refill.
Which major arteries are palpated during a physical examination?
Radial, brachial, femoral, popliteal, dorsalis pedis, and posterior tibial arteries.
What aspects of the skin, hair, and nails are assessed during examination?
Color changes, temperature, moisture, hair texture and loss, nail thickness and brittleness.
What sounds are listened for during chest auscultation?
Breath sounds, heart sounds, and blood flow in major arteries like the carotid and femoral.
What should be done with any abnormal findings during examination?
They should be promptly reported to senior staff for further evaluation.
Why is accurate documentation important in chest pain assessment?
It ensures all assessments and findings are recorded for future reference and informs the patient about observations.
Why do we focus on chest pain during health history?
Chest pain can indicate life-threatening conditions, and an accurate history helps differentiate between cardiac and non-cardiac causes.
How does the PQRST mnemonic aid in chest pain assessment?
It provides a structured approach to gather information about precipitating factors, pain quality, radiation, severity, and timing of chest pain.
Why is it important to ask about precipitating factors in chest pain assessment?
Precipitating factors can provide valuable clues about the cause of chest pain and help in determining appropriate interventions.
How does assessing the quality of pain contribute to chest pain evaluation?
Understanding the quality of pain (sharp, dull, tearing, etc.) can help differentiate between different causes of chest pain and guide treatment decisions.
What areas of the body should be assessed for radiation of chest pain?
Radiation to the neck, jaw, shoulders, arms, and interscapular region should be noted, as it can indicate certain cardiac or non-cardiac conditions.
How does assessing the severity of chest pain assist in patient care?
Severity assessment helps determine the urgency of intervention and provides a baseline for monitoring response to treatment.
