Peripheral Vascular Assessment

Question 1

4 things evaluated during assessment

Answer 1

1) evaluate blood pressure
2) monitor blood flow and health of both arteries & veins throughout the body
3) assesses the effectiveness of circulation throughout the body
4) reveals the effectiveness of the heart to pump blood to the periphery of the body

Question 2

history

Answer 2

• leg cramps, pain
• numbness/tingling in the extremities
• cold sensation in hands / feet
• pedal / ankle edema
• cyanosis = blue: feet ankle, hands
• sitting/laying with legs crosses; venus insufficiency & varicose veins
• heart risk factors: smoking, exercise, nutritional problems

Question 3

carotid artery assessment

Answer 3

• visualize the carotid artery
• dont palpate both sides at once*
• ascultate for a bruit
• if a bruit, palpate for a thrill

Question 4

what happens if you palpate both sides of the carotid artery at same time

Answer 4

• drop in blood pressure

- reflex drop in heart rate

Question 5

absent pulse wave may indicate what (2)

Answer 5

• occlusion: blockage of a blood vessel or clot

- stenosis (narrowing of a blood vessel)

Question 6

jugular vein assessment

Answer 6

1) visually inspect for popping out

- usually no JVD

Question 7

Popping out of JVD is influenced by (3)

Answer 7

1) blood volume
2) capacity of the right atrium to receive and expel blood to the right ventricle
3) ability of the right ventricle to move blood into the pulmonary artery

Question 8

unlike radial and apical pulses, peripheral pulses are measured by what

Answer 8

• strength
• 0 = absent
• further assessment with doppler*
• +1= thready, barely palpable
• +2 = easily palpable, moral
• +3 or +4 = bounding pulse

Question 9

allen test

Answer 9

used to check arterial insufficiency in hand (collateral circulation)
-used to ensure patency of the ulnar artery before blood samples are collected

Question 10

tissue perfusion assessment

Answer 10

-5 P’s

pain, palor, puslessness, parasthesia, polkiothermia (temp)

Question 11

cyanosis

Answer 11

late finding of hypoxia

Question 12

peripheral-vasoconstriction

Answer 12

-cyanosis

blue lips, earlobes, nail beds

Question 13

cap refill

Answer 13

-normal: <2-3 seconds

Question 14

peripheral venous assessment

Answer 14

-varacos veins in leg
- superficial dilation of veins
-also inspect for edema
(pitting & non pitting)

Question 15

pitting edema scale

Answer 15

\+1 = rapid response
\+2 = 10-15 seconds
\+3 = 1-2 minutes
\+4 = 2-5 min

Question 16

peripheral venous assessment cont

-phlebitis

Answer 16

• inflammation of vein may lead to clots

- most common area: calf DVT