Chapter 14: Caring for Cardiac Emergencies

Which of the following is NOT one of the three basic problems that generally cause cardiac conditions?

• Interruption of blood flow to the heart muscle

• Interruption of nerve pulses from the brain

• Problems with the heart’s rhythm

• Problems with the heart’s pumping

A 55-year-old patient is complaining of pain in his neck, back, and jaw. He also states that he feels nauseated and light-headed. You should suspect a(n) ________ emergency.

• cardiac

• hyperventilation

• respiratory

• ulcer

In the mnemonic OPQRST, used to assist with the evaluation of a patient in discomfort, the “P” stands for:

• Pulse

• Palpitation

• Pain

• Provocation

A patient with chest pain and discomfort should be considered unstable and should be monitored frequently, with reassessment at least every ______ minutes.

• 5

• 10

• 15

• 20

A patient who has taken her prescribed nitroglycerin for chest pain may experience the side effect of:

• hypertension.

• pulmonary edema.

• hypotension.

• hyperventilation.

The term “cardiac ________” describes specific signs and symptoms that indicate some type of emergency relating to the heart.

• syndrome

• condition

• dysfunction

• compromise

The oxygenated blood supply for the heart is provided by which blood vessels?

• The inferior and superior vena cava

• The coronary arteries

• The lymphatic vascular system

• The aortic veins

A condition that results when the blood supply to a portion of the heart is interrupted is called a(n):

• myocardial infarction.

• cardiac compromise.

• angina pectoris.

• cardiac standstill.

In the condition known as ________, a patient has difficulty breathing because inefficient beating of the heart causes fluid to build up in the lungs.

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• asthma

• congestive heart failure

• pneumonia

A myocardial infarction occurs when one of the ________ arteries is blocked, preventing blood from getting to the heart muscle.

• pulmonary

• descending

• coronary

• carotid