Pt Assesment

Question 1

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)

Answer 1

Abrupt disruption of flow through coronary arteries
Types: unstable angina, non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), STEMI

Question 2

ACS common chief complaints

Answer 2

Chest discomfort, dyspnea (difficulty breathing), fainting, palpitations, fatigue

Question 3

Angina Pectoris

Answer 3

Chest discomfort due to heart not receiving enough O2
Myocardial Ischemia (AMI)

Question 4

Myocardial Ischemia symptoms

Answer 4

Angina pectoris
Pain worsens w/ exercise, resolves w/ rest
Starts in left chest and radiates (especially left little fingers)
Severe ischemia results in pain to right arm

Question 5

Aortic dissection or enlargement of aortic aneurism symptoms

Answer 5

Pain in center of chest and radiates back

Question 6

Medications/procedures used to open up coronary artieries

Answer 6

Reperfusion therapy

Question 7

Anginal symptoms length vs AMI length

Answer 7

Angina <20 min
AMI >20 min, can last hours

Question 8

Reasons for sudden dyspnea

Answer 8

Pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, acute pulmonary edema, pneumonia, airway obstruction

Question 9

Reasons for dyspnea on exertion

Answer 9

COPD, left ventricle failure (LVF)(causes fluid build up in lungs)

Question 10

Reasons for dyspnea due to horizontal positioning

Answer 10

Chronic heart failure (blood pools in lungs),

Question 11

Dyspnea relieved by changing body position

Answer 11

Orthopnea

Question 12

Sudden onset of dyspnea causes pt to wake from sleep, associated with what?

Answer 12

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND)
Associated with LVF

Question 13

Cardiac causes of syncope (fainting)

Answer 13

Dysrhythmias, increased vagal tone, heart lesion,

Question 14

Common causes of fatigue

Answer 14

High/low potassium, ACS, meds,

Question 15

Skin (low CO, heart attack, shock)

Answer 15

Low cardiac output - pale, mottled, cyanotic
Heart attack/cardio shock - cool, sweaty

Question 16

JVD (pressure rise/fall)

Answer 16

Pressure rise: right ventricle fail, more pressure in pericardial sac hinders return of blood to right atrium
Lowers: blood volume falls, ejection of blood from left ventricle

Question 17

Barrel Chest symptom

Answer 17

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

Question 18

Cardio crackles and wheezing

Answer 18

LVF w/ pulmonary edema (foamy blood tinged sputum)

Question 19

Bilateral pitting edema, pitting in one side causes

Answer 19

Swelling in low points of body
RVF
One side pitting suggests blockage in major vein

Question 20

Different PR when listening to heart and palpating radial pulse, sign of?

Answer 20

Pulse deficit
Abnormal heart rhythms, contractions too weak

Question 21

When systolic pressure falls more than 10 mmHg during inspiration, symptom of?

Answer 21

Pulses paradoxus
AMI, cardiac tamponade, constrictive pericarditis

Question 22

Compression of heart due to fluid in sac, symptoms,

Answer 22

Cardiac tamponade - keeps heart from properly filling
Pain in chest, fatigue, narrow pulse pressure, low BP, palpitations, high HR

Question 23

Beat to beat difference in strength of pulse, symptom of?

Answer 23

Pulses alternans
Severe ventricle failure - decrease in # of myocardial cell contracting in each beat