disorders Flashcards
An 82-year-old patient came into the clinic today with complaints of pitting edema. His latest echocardiogram results showed an ejection fraction of 40%. Which of the following conditions would the nurse practitioner suspect?
a. Right sided HF
b. Venous insufficient
c. PAD
d. Left sided HF
Right sided HF
Right sided heart failure causes fluid retention in the periphery of the body, especially the extremities.
Left sided heart failure is more likely to affect the lungs, and frequently has respiratory symptoms associated with it.
The nurse practitioner is auscultating a patient’s heart and hears a split S2. When is a split S2 considered a physiologic finding?
inspiration
the S2 heart sound is the result of the closure of the aortic and pulmonic valves, which causes vibration of the valve leaflets and the adjacent structures. Therefore, if heard during inspiration, it is considered a normal physiological finding.
A 67-year-old male presents to the clinic today for concerns with ongoing heartburn. He has a past medical history of hypertension and diabetes. When reviewing his medications, what medication does the nurse practitioner suspect is contributing to the patient’s concern?
nifedipine (Procardia)
Rationale: The correct answer is nifedipine (Procardia). Calcium channel blockers are generally avoided in patients with GERD, also sometimes called “heartburn” due to the medication relaxing the esophageal sphincter, which then can cause stomach acid to regurgitate, worsening symptoms.
