Exam 2 Cardiac Practice Questions
NCLEX Latest Exam 2024
Which of the following actions is the first priority of care
for a pt exhibiting signs & symptoms of coronary artery
disease?
1. Decrease anxiety
2. Enhance myocardial oxygenation
3. Administer sublingual nitroglycerin
4. Educate the pt about his symptoms - correct
answers✅2. Enhancing myocardial oxygenation is
always the first priority when a pt exhibits signs or
symptoms of cardiac compromise. W/out adequate
oxygenation, the myocardium suffers damage. Sublingual
nitroglycerin is administered to treat acute angina, but
administration isn't the first priority. Although educating
the pt & decreasing anxiety are important in care
delivery, neither are priorities when a pt is compromised.
Medical treatment of coronary artery disease includes
which of the following procedures?
1. Cardiac catherization
2. Coronary artery bypass surgery
3. Oral med therapy
4. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty -
correct answers✅3. Oral med administration is a
noninvasive, medical treatment for coronary artery
disease. Cardiac catherization isn't a treatment, but a
diagnostic tool. Coronary artery bypass surgery &
,Exam 2 Cardiac Practice Questions
NCLEX Latest Exam 2024
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are
invasive, surgical treatments.
Which of the following is the most common symptom of
myocardial infarction (MI)?
1. Chest pain
2. Dyspnea
3. Edema
4. Palpitations - correct answers✅1. The most common
symptom of an MI is chest pain, resulting from
deprivation of oxygen to the heart. Dyspnea is the second
most common symptom, related to an increase in the
metabolic needs of the body during an MI. Edema is a
later sign of heart failure, often seen after an MI.
Palpitations may result from reduced cardiac output,
producing arrhythmias.
Which of the following symptoms is the most likely origin
of pain the pt described as knifelike chest pain that
increases in intensity with inspiration?
1. Cardiac
2. Gastrointestinal
3. Musculoskeletal
4. Pulmonary - correct answers✅4. Pulmonary pain is
generally described by these symptoms. Musculoskeletal
,Exam 2 Cardiac Practice Questions
NCLEX Latest Exam 2024
pain only increases w/ movement. Cardiac & GI pains
don't change w/ respiration.
Which of the following blood tests is most indicative of
cardiac damage?
1. Lactate dehydrogenase
2. Complete blood count (CBC)
3. Troponin I
4. Creatine kinase (CK) - correct answers✅3. Troponin I
levels rise rapidly & are detectable w/in 1 hour of
myocardial injury. Troponin I levels aren't detectable in
people w/out cardiac injury. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
is present in almost all body tissues & not specific to
heart muscle. LDH isoenzymes are useful in diagnosing
cardiac injury. CBC is obtained to review blood counts, & a
complete chemistry is obtained to review electrolytes.
Because CK levels may rise w/ skeletal muscle injury, CK
isoenzymes are required to detect cardiac injury
What is the primary reason for administering morphine to
a pt with an MI?
1. To sedate the pt
2. To decrease the pt's pain
3. To decrease the pt's anxiety
, Exam 2 Cardiac Practice Questions
NCLEX Latest Exam 2024
4. To decrease oxygen demand on the pt's heart - correct
answers✅4. Morphine is administered because it
decreases myocardial oxygen demand. Morphine will also
decrease pain & anxiety while causing sedation, but it
isn't primarily given for those reasons.
Which of the following conditions is most commonly
responsible for myocardial infarction?
1. Aneurysm
2. Heart failure
3. Coronary artery thrombosis
4. Renal failure - correct answers✅3. Coronary artery
thrombosis causes an inclusion of the artery, leading to
myocardial death. An aneurysm is an outpouching of a
vessel & doesn't cause an MI. Renal failure can be
associated w/ MI but isn't a direct cause. Heart failure is
usually a result from an MI.
Which of the following complications is indicated by a
third heart sound (S3)?
1. Ventricular dilation
2. Systemic hypertension
3. Aortic valve malfunction
4. Increased atrial contractions - correct answers✅1.
Rapid filling of the ventricle causes vasodilation that is
NCLEX Latest Exam 2024
Which of the following actions is the first priority of care
for a pt exhibiting signs & symptoms of coronary artery
disease?
1. Decrease anxiety
2. Enhance myocardial oxygenation
3. Administer sublingual nitroglycerin
4. Educate the pt about his symptoms - correct
answers✅2. Enhancing myocardial oxygenation is
always the first priority when a pt exhibits signs or
symptoms of cardiac compromise. W/out adequate
oxygenation, the myocardium suffers damage. Sublingual
nitroglycerin is administered to treat acute angina, but
administration isn't the first priority. Although educating
the pt & decreasing anxiety are important in care
delivery, neither are priorities when a pt is compromised.
Medical treatment of coronary artery disease includes
which of the following procedures?
1. Cardiac catherization
2. Coronary artery bypass surgery
3. Oral med therapy
4. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty -
correct answers✅3. Oral med administration is a
noninvasive, medical treatment for coronary artery
disease. Cardiac catherization isn't a treatment, but a
diagnostic tool. Coronary artery bypass surgery &
,Exam 2 Cardiac Practice Questions
NCLEX Latest Exam 2024
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are
invasive, surgical treatments.
Which of the following is the most common symptom of
myocardial infarction (MI)?
1. Chest pain
2. Dyspnea
3. Edema
4. Palpitations - correct answers✅1. The most common
symptom of an MI is chest pain, resulting from
deprivation of oxygen to the heart. Dyspnea is the second
most common symptom, related to an increase in the
metabolic needs of the body during an MI. Edema is a
later sign of heart failure, often seen after an MI.
Palpitations may result from reduced cardiac output,
producing arrhythmias.
Which of the following symptoms is the most likely origin
of pain the pt described as knifelike chest pain that
increases in intensity with inspiration?
1. Cardiac
2. Gastrointestinal
3. Musculoskeletal
4. Pulmonary - correct answers✅4. Pulmonary pain is
generally described by these symptoms. Musculoskeletal
,Exam 2 Cardiac Practice Questions
NCLEX Latest Exam 2024
pain only increases w/ movement. Cardiac & GI pains
don't change w/ respiration.
Which of the following blood tests is most indicative of
cardiac damage?
1. Lactate dehydrogenase
2. Complete blood count (CBC)
3. Troponin I
4. Creatine kinase (CK) - correct answers✅3. Troponin I
levels rise rapidly & are detectable w/in 1 hour of
myocardial injury. Troponin I levels aren't detectable in
people w/out cardiac injury. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
is present in almost all body tissues & not specific to
heart muscle. LDH isoenzymes are useful in diagnosing
cardiac injury. CBC is obtained to review blood counts, & a
complete chemistry is obtained to review electrolytes.
Because CK levels may rise w/ skeletal muscle injury, CK
isoenzymes are required to detect cardiac injury
What is the primary reason for administering morphine to
a pt with an MI?
1. To sedate the pt
2. To decrease the pt's pain
3. To decrease the pt's anxiety
, Exam 2 Cardiac Practice Questions
NCLEX Latest Exam 2024
4. To decrease oxygen demand on the pt's heart - correct
answers✅4. Morphine is administered because it
decreases myocardial oxygen demand. Morphine will also
decrease pain & anxiety while causing sedation, but it
isn't primarily given for those reasons.
Which of the following conditions is most commonly
responsible for myocardial infarction?
1. Aneurysm
2. Heart failure
3. Coronary artery thrombosis
4. Renal failure - correct answers✅3. Coronary artery
thrombosis causes an inclusion of the artery, leading to
myocardial death. An aneurysm is an outpouching of a
vessel & doesn't cause an MI. Renal failure can be
associated w/ MI but isn't a direct cause. Heart failure is
usually a result from an MI.
Which of the following complications is indicated by a
third heart sound (S3)?
1. Ventricular dilation
2. Systemic hypertension
3. Aortic valve malfunction
4. Increased atrial contractions - correct answers✅1.
Rapid filling of the ventricle causes vasodilation that is
