NR 507 Week 3 Quiz (Questions & Answers)
1. A 72-year-old woman with a recent onset of syncopal episodes has been referred to a cardiology
group by her family physician. As part of the patient's diagnostic workup, the nurse practitioner
conducting the intake assessment has ordered a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Which of the following
statements best captures an aspect of Holter monitoring? (Points : 0.4)
A Holter monitor is preferable to st&ard ECG due to its increased sensitivity to cardiac electrical
activity.
The primary goal is to allow the cardiologist to accurately diagnose cardiomyopathies.
Accurate interpretation of the results requires correlating the findings with the activity that the
woman was doing at the time of recording.
Holter monitors are normally set to record electrical activity of the heart at least once per hour.
Q. 2.2. As part of the diagnostic workup for a male patient with a complex history of cardiovascular
disease, the care team has identified the need for a record of the electrical activity of his heart, insight
into the metabolism of his myocardium, & physical measurements, & imaging of his heart. Which of
the following series of tests is most likely to provide the needed data for his diagnosis & care? (Points :
0.4)
Echocardiogram, PET scan, ECG
Ambulatory ECG, cardiac MRI, echocardiogram
, Serum creatinine levels, chest auscultation, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy
Cardiac catheterization, cardiac CT, exercise stress testing
Q. 3.3. An 81-year-old female patient of a long-term care facility has a history of congestive heart
failure. The nurse practitioner caring for the patient has positioned her sitting up at an angle in bed & is
observing her jugular venous distention. Why is jugular venous distention a useful indicator for the
assessment of the patient's condition? (Points : 0.4)
Increased cardiac dem& causes engorgement of systemic blood vessels, of which the jugular vein is
one of the largest.
Blood backs up into the jugular vein because there are no valves at the point of entry into the heart.
Peripheral dilation is associated with decreased stroke volume & ejection fraction.
Heart valves are not capable of preventing backflow in cases of atrial congestion.
Q. 4.4. A physical assessment of a 28-year-old female patient indicates that her blood pressure in her
legs is lower than that in her arms & that her brachial pulse is weaker in her left arm than in her right.
In addition, her femoral pulses are weak bilaterally. Which of the following possibilities would her care
provider be most likely to suspect? (Points : 0.4)
Pheochromocytoma
Essential hypertension
Coarctation of the aorta
An adrenocortical
disorder
Q. 5.5. A 6-year-old boy has been brought to the emergency department by ambulance after his
mother discovered that his heart rate was “so fast I couldn't even count it.” The child was determined
to be in atrial flutter & his mother is seeking an explanation from the health care team. Which of the
following points should underlie an explanation to the mother? (Points : 0.4)
The child is experiencing a reentry rhythm in his right atrium.
The resolution of the problem is dependent on spontaneous recovery & is resistant to pacing
interventions.
The child is likely to have a normal ECG apart from the rapid heart rate.
The boy's atria are experiencing abnormal sympathetic stimulation.
Q. 6.6. A 66-year-old patient's echocardiogram reveals a hypertrophied left ventricle, normal chamber
volume, & a normal ejection fraction from the heart. What is this patient's most likely
1. A 72-year-old woman with a recent onset of syncopal episodes has been referred to a cardiology
group by her family physician. As part of the patient's diagnostic workup, the nurse practitioner
conducting the intake assessment has ordered a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Which of the following
statements best captures an aspect of Holter monitoring? (Points : 0.4)
A Holter monitor is preferable to st&ard ECG due to its increased sensitivity to cardiac electrical
activity.
The primary goal is to allow the cardiologist to accurately diagnose cardiomyopathies.
Accurate interpretation of the results requires correlating the findings with the activity that the
woman was doing at the time of recording.
Holter monitors are normally set to record electrical activity of the heart at least once per hour.
Q. 2.2. As part of the diagnostic workup for a male patient with a complex history of cardiovascular
disease, the care team has identified the need for a record of the electrical activity of his heart, insight
into the metabolism of his myocardium, & physical measurements, & imaging of his heart. Which of
the following series of tests is most likely to provide the needed data for his diagnosis & care? (Points :
0.4)
Echocardiogram, PET scan, ECG
Ambulatory ECG, cardiac MRI, echocardiogram
, Serum creatinine levels, chest auscultation, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy
Cardiac catheterization, cardiac CT, exercise stress testing
Q. 3.3. An 81-year-old female patient of a long-term care facility has a history of congestive heart
failure. The nurse practitioner caring for the patient has positioned her sitting up at an angle in bed & is
observing her jugular venous distention. Why is jugular venous distention a useful indicator for the
assessment of the patient's condition? (Points : 0.4)
Increased cardiac dem& causes engorgement of systemic blood vessels, of which the jugular vein is
one of the largest.
Blood backs up into the jugular vein because there are no valves at the point of entry into the heart.
Peripheral dilation is associated with decreased stroke volume & ejection fraction.
Heart valves are not capable of preventing backflow in cases of atrial congestion.
Q. 4.4. A physical assessment of a 28-year-old female patient indicates that her blood pressure in her
legs is lower than that in her arms & that her brachial pulse is weaker in her left arm than in her right.
In addition, her femoral pulses are weak bilaterally. Which of the following possibilities would her care
provider be most likely to suspect? (Points : 0.4)
Pheochromocytoma
Essential hypertension
Coarctation of the aorta
An adrenocortical
disorder
Q. 5.5. A 6-year-old boy has been brought to the emergency department by ambulance after his
mother discovered that his heart rate was “so fast I couldn't even count it.” The child was determined
to be in atrial flutter & his mother is seeking an explanation from the health care team. Which of the
following points should underlie an explanation to the mother? (Points : 0.4)
The child is experiencing a reentry rhythm in his right atrium.
The resolution of the problem is dependent on spontaneous recovery & is resistant to pacing
interventions.
The child is likely to have a normal ECG apart from the rapid heart rate.
The boy's atria are experiencing abnormal sympathetic stimulation.
Q. 6.6. A 66-year-old patient's echocardiogram reveals a hypertrophied left ventricle, normal chamber
volume, & a normal ejection fraction from the heart. What is this patient's most likely
