EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT RN A PROPHECY
EXAM REVIEW AND SOLUTIONS 2026
◉ PNS parasympathetic nervous system. Answer: heart rate
decreases by stimulation of the pns, which can occur with vagus
nerve stimulation, cardiac conduction abnormalities and drugs with
negative chronotropic effects.
◉ Stroke volume. Answer: amount of blood ejected from each
ventricle per contraction, strength of myocardial contraction
◉ Preload. Answer: volume of blood that results in pressure or
stretch of the ventricles during diastole.
◉ Afterload. Answer: The force or resistance against which the heart
pumps.
◉ Cushing's triad. Answer: three classic signs—bradycardia,
hypertension, and bradypnea—seen with pressure on the medulla
as a result of increased intracranial pressure.
◉ Chronotropes. Answer: Drugs that affect HR, at the SA node
,◉ Inotropes. Answer: Drugs that affect contractility, force of
contraction of the heart.
◉ Dromotropes. Answer: drugs that affect automaticity of the heart
at the AV node
◉ Vasodilators. Answer: ACE Inhibitors -pril, decrease preload and
afterload by vasodilation and diuresis. Monitor for dry cough,
angioedema or rash.
◉ Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs). Answer: -sartan,
vasodilation and decreased aldosterone levels increasing excretion
of sodium and sparing of potassium, indications include htn, heart
failure
◉ Calcium Channel Blockers. Answer: -dipine, negative inotropic,
chronotropic and dromotropic effects
◉ Beta-blockers. Answer: -lol, negative inotropic, chronotropic and
dromotropic effects. cardioselective work on beta 1 (heart) and non
cardioselective work on beta1 and 2 (lungs)
◉ Vasodilators. Answer: Nicardipine, Labetalol, Nesiritide,
Nitroglycerin, Nitroprusside
, ◉ Vasopressor and Inotropic Medications. Answer: Epinephrine,
Dobutamine, Dopamine, Milrinone, Norepinephrine,
Phenylepyhrine,
◉ Nicardipine. Answer: calcium channel blocker, coronary,
peripheral vasodilator, monitor bp, hr continually
◉ Labetalol. Answer: slows hr, decreases pvr, co, bp, moderately
decreases preload and afterload. gradually lower bp to avoid
cerebral ischemia/infarct, optic nerve infarction, angina, myocardial
ischemia or infarct.
◉ Nitroglycerin. Answer: coronary artery dilator, peripheral
vasodilator.
◉ Epinephrine. Answer: increases co, hr, svr, relaxes bronchial
smooth muscles.
◉ Dobutamine. Answer: decreases preload and afterload, increases
contractility, sv, co but does not increase oxygen demand.
◉ dopamine. Answer: lower doses increase contractility, higher
doses additionally increase vasoconstriction
EXAM REVIEW AND SOLUTIONS 2026
◉ PNS parasympathetic nervous system. Answer: heart rate
decreases by stimulation of the pns, which can occur with vagus
nerve stimulation, cardiac conduction abnormalities and drugs with
negative chronotropic effects.
◉ Stroke volume. Answer: amount of blood ejected from each
ventricle per contraction, strength of myocardial contraction
◉ Preload. Answer: volume of blood that results in pressure or
stretch of the ventricles during diastole.
◉ Afterload. Answer: The force or resistance against which the heart
pumps.
◉ Cushing's triad. Answer: three classic signs—bradycardia,
hypertension, and bradypnea—seen with pressure on the medulla
as a result of increased intracranial pressure.
◉ Chronotropes. Answer: Drugs that affect HR, at the SA node
,◉ Inotropes. Answer: Drugs that affect contractility, force of
contraction of the heart.
◉ Dromotropes. Answer: drugs that affect automaticity of the heart
at the AV node
◉ Vasodilators. Answer: ACE Inhibitors -pril, decrease preload and
afterload by vasodilation and diuresis. Monitor for dry cough,
angioedema or rash.
◉ Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs). Answer: -sartan,
vasodilation and decreased aldosterone levels increasing excretion
of sodium and sparing of potassium, indications include htn, heart
failure
◉ Calcium Channel Blockers. Answer: -dipine, negative inotropic,
chronotropic and dromotropic effects
◉ Beta-blockers. Answer: -lol, negative inotropic, chronotropic and
dromotropic effects. cardioselective work on beta 1 (heart) and non
cardioselective work on beta1 and 2 (lungs)
◉ Vasodilators. Answer: Nicardipine, Labetalol, Nesiritide,
Nitroglycerin, Nitroprusside
, ◉ Vasopressor and Inotropic Medications. Answer: Epinephrine,
Dobutamine, Dopamine, Milrinone, Norepinephrine,
Phenylepyhrine,
◉ Nicardipine. Answer: calcium channel blocker, coronary,
peripheral vasodilator, monitor bp, hr continually
◉ Labetalol. Answer: slows hr, decreases pvr, co, bp, moderately
decreases preload and afterload. gradually lower bp to avoid
cerebral ischemia/infarct, optic nerve infarction, angina, myocardial
ischemia or infarct.
◉ Nitroglycerin. Answer: coronary artery dilator, peripheral
vasodilator.
◉ Epinephrine. Answer: increases co, hr, svr, relaxes bronchial
smooth muscles.
◉ Dobutamine. Answer: decreases preload and afterload, increases
contractility, sv, co but does not increase oxygen demand.
◉ dopamine. Answer: lower doses increase contractility, higher
doses additionally increase vasoconstriction
