Chapter 12- Nitroglycerin

Question 1

Many patients with cardiac conditions carry some form of fast acting _______ to relieve the pain of angina

Answer 1

Nitroglycerin

Question 2

Nitroglycerin has been used medically since the _____

Answer 2

1800s

Question 3

Nitroglycerin is the only medication that you will help deliver _______

Answer 3

Sublingually

Question 4

What is angina pectoris?

Answer 4

The hearts demand for oxygen exceeds the supply, causing a pain to develop within the heart muscle

Question 5

What is the pain caused by specifically?

Answer 5

A blockage or narrowing in the blood vessels that supply the heart

Question 6

This blockage or narrowing can occasionally cause a _____

Answer 6

spasm in the blood vessels

Question 7

Unlike a runner with sore legs, the heart cannot _____

Answer 7

stop and rest until the pain goes away

Question 8

The purpose of nitroglycerin is to ______

Answer 8

increase blood flow by relieving the spasms or causing arteries to dilate

Question 9

How does nitroglycerin increase blood flow?

Answer 9

By relaxing the muscular walls of the coronary arteries and veins

Question 11

NItroglycerin also relaxes veins throughout the body. How does this help us?

Answer 11

Less blood is returned to the heart and the heart does not have to work as hard when it contracts

Question 12

Overall, nitroglycerin serves to decrease ______

Answer 12

Blood pressure

Question 13

If the systolic blood pressure is less than ________ mmHG, then nitroglycerin should not be given

Answer 13

100 mmHG

Question 14

Even a patient who h adequate blood pressure should ____ or ______ with the head elevated prior to taking this medication

Answer 14

Sit or Lie Down

Question 15

If patient is standing , what might happen and why?

Answer 15

he or she may faint as blood flow to brain is reduced as nitroglycerin begins to work

Question 16

What would be considered a significant drop in blood pressure after nitroglycerin has been administered?

Answer 16

15 to 20 mmHg

or dizziness or sickness have the patient lie down

Question 17

What happens during a myocardial infarction?

Answer 17

(heart attack)
A narrowing or blockage in a coronary artery that blocks the blood flow to a section of the heart muscle (myocardium)

Question 18

If blockage not cleared fast enough, what will happen?

Answer 18

The section of the heart muscle beyond the clot will die

Question 19

If nitroglycerin no longer brings relief to a person whom it has previously worked, the patient may be experiencing an ______ instead of a ______

Answer 19

MI instead of a angina attack

Question 20

What two important questions should you always know regarding a patient’s nitroglycerin intake?

Answer 20

how much nitroglycerin a patient has needed in the past to relieve chest pain

how much nitroglycerin has been used during this current emergency , including nitroglycerin patches

Question 21

What important interactions should you consider when administering nitroglycerin?

Answer 21

Erectile dysfunction medications
sildenafil (Viagra)
tadalafil (Cialis)
Vardenafil (Levitra)

Question 22

When taken together nitroglycerin and erectile dysfunction medication may cause a ______

Answer 22

dramatic drop in blood pressure

Question 23

If erectile dysfunction med taken within the past 24 hours, then you should

Answer 23

NOT administer nitroglycerin

Question 24

Erectile dysfunction meds can be taken by both ____ and ____ , so do not assume

Answer 24

Men and Women

Question 25

Nitroglycerin has the following effects:

Answer 25

Relaxes the muscle walls of coronary arteries and veins

Results in less blood returning to the heart

Decreases blood pressure

Relaxes arteries throughout the body

Often cause mild headache/burning sensation beneath the tongue