©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Lewis Med-Surg Ch. 33 CAD and Acute Coronary
Syndrome Exam Practice Questions and Answers
When developing a teaching plan for a 61-yr-old patient with multiple risk factors for coronary artery
disease (CAD), the nurse should focus primarily on the
a. family history of coronary artery disease.
b. elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level.
c. increased risk associated with the patient's gender.
d. increased risk of cardiovascular disease as people age. - Ans:✔✔-ANS: B
Because family history, gender, and age are nonmodifiable risk factors, the nurse should focus on the
patient's LDL level. Decreases in LDL will help reduce the patient's risk for developing CAD.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application)
Which nursing intervention is likely to be most effective when assisting the patient with coronary artery
disease to make appropriate dietary changes?
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FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
a. Inform the patient about a diet containing no saturated fat and minimal salt.
b. Help the patient modify favorite high-fat recipes by using monounsaturated oils.
c. Emphasize the increased risk for heart problems unless the patient makes the dietary changes.
d. Give the patient a list of low-sodium, low-cholesterol foods that should be included in the diet. -
Ans:✔✔-ANS: B
Lifestyle changes are more likely to be successful when consideration is given to the patient's values and
preferences. The highest percentage of calories from fat should come from monounsaturated or
polyunsaturated fats. Although low-sodium and low-cholesterol foods are appropriate, providing the
patient with a list alone is not likely to be successful in making dietary changes. Completely removing
saturated fat from the diet is not a realistic expectation. Up to 7% of calories in the therapeutic lifestyle
changes diet can come from saturated fat. Telling the patient about the increased risk without assisting
further with strategies for dietary change is unlikely to be successful.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (analysis)
The nurse is admitting a patient who has chest pain. Which assessment data suggest that the pain is
caused by an acute myocardial infarction (AMI)?
a. The pain increases with deep breathing.
Page 2/33
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b. The pain has lasted longer than 30 minutes.
c. The pain is relieved after the patient takes nitroglycerin.
d. The pain is reproducible when the patient raises the arms. - Ans:✔✔-ANS: B
Chest pain that lasts for 20 minutes or more is characteristic of AMI. Changes in pain that occur with
raising the arms or with deep breathing are more typical of musculoskeletal pain or pericarditis. Stable
angina is usually relieved when the patient takes nitroglycerin.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application)
Which information from a patient helps the nurse confirm the previous diagnosis of chronic stable
angina?
a. "The pain wakes me up at night."
b. "The pain is level 3 to 5 (0 to 10 scale)."
c. "The pain has gotten worse over the last week."
d. "The pain goes away after a nitroglycerin tablet." - Ans:✔✔-ANS: D
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, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Chronic stable angina is typically relieved by rest or nitroglycerin administration. The level of pain is not a
consistent indicator of the type of angina. Pain occurring at rest or with increased frequency is typical of
unstable angina.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension)
After the nurse has finished teaching a patient about the use of sublingual nitroglycerin (Nitrostat),
which patient statement indicates that the teaching has been effective?
a. "I can expect nausea as a side effect of nitroglycerin."
b. "I should only take nitroglycerin when I have chest pain."
c. "Nitroglycerin helps prevent a clot from forming and blocking blood flow to my heart."
d. "I will call an ambulance if I still have pain after taking three nitroglycerin 5 minutes apart." - Ans:✔✔-
ANS: D
The emergency response system (ERS) should be activated when chest pain or other symptoms are not
completely relieved after three sublingual nitroglycerin tablets taken 5 minutes apart. Nitroglycerin can
be taken to prevent chest pain or other symptoms from developing (e.g., before intercourse). Gastric
upset (e.g., nausea) is not an expected side effect of nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin does not impact the
underlying pathophysiology of coronary artery atherosclerosis.
Page 4/33
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Lewis Med-Surg Ch. 33 CAD and Acute Coronary
Syndrome Exam Practice Questions and Answers
When developing a teaching plan for a 61-yr-old patient with multiple risk factors for coronary artery
disease (CAD), the nurse should focus primarily on the
a. family history of coronary artery disease.
b. elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level.
c. increased risk associated with the patient's gender.
d. increased risk of cardiovascular disease as people age. - Ans:✔✔-ANS: B
Because family history, gender, and age are nonmodifiable risk factors, the nurse should focus on the
patient's LDL level. Decreases in LDL will help reduce the patient's risk for developing CAD.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application)
Which nursing intervention is likely to be most effective when assisting the patient with coronary artery
disease to make appropriate dietary changes?
Page 1/33
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
a. Inform the patient about a diet containing no saturated fat and minimal salt.
b. Help the patient modify favorite high-fat recipes by using monounsaturated oils.
c. Emphasize the increased risk for heart problems unless the patient makes the dietary changes.
d. Give the patient a list of low-sodium, low-cholesterol foods that should be included in the diet. -
Ans:✔✔-ANS: B
Lifestyle changes are more likely to be successful when consideration is given to the patient's values and
preferences. The highest percentage of calories from fat should come from monounsaturated or
polyunsaturated fats. Although low-sodium and low-cholesterol foods are appropriate, providing the
patient with a list alone is not likely to be successful in making dietary changes. Completely removing
saturated fat from the diet is not a realistic expectation. Up to 7% of calories in the therapeutic lifestyle
changes diet can come from saturated fat. Telling the patient about the increased risk without assisting
further with strategies for dietary change is unlikely to be successful.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (analysis)
The nurse is admitting a patient who has chest pain. Which assessment data suggest that the pain is
caused by an acute myocardial infarction (AMI)?
a. The pain increases with deep breathing.
Page 2/33
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
b. The pain has lasted longer than 30 minutes.
c. The pain is relieved after the patient takes nitroglycerin.
d. The pain is reproducible when the patient raises the arms. - Ans:✔✔-ANS: B
Chest pain that lasts for 20 minutes or more is characteristic of AMI. Changes in pain that occur with
raising the arms or with deep breathing are more typical of musculoskeletal pain or pericarditis. Stable
angina is usually relieved when the patient takes nitroglycerin.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application)
Which information from a patient helps the nurse confirm the previous diagnosis of chronic stable
angina?
a. "The pain wakes me up at night."
b. "The pain is level 3 to 5 (0 to 10 scale)."
c. "The pain has gotten worse over the last week."
d. "The pain goes away after a nitroglycerin tablet." - Ans:✔✔-ANS: D
Page 3/33
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Chronic stable angina is typically relieved by rest or nitroglycerin administration. The level of pain is not a
consistent indicator of the type of angina. Pain occurring at rest or with increased frequency is typical of
unstable angina.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension)
After the nurse has finished teaching a patient about the use of sublingual nitroglycerin (Nitrostat),
which patient statement indicates that the teaching has been effective?
a. "I can expect nausea as a side effect of nitroglycerin."
b. "I should only take nitroglycerin when I have chest pain."
c. "Nitroglycerin helps prevent a clot from forming and blocking blood flow to my heart."
d. "I will call an ambulance if I still have pain after taking three nitroglycerin 5 minutes apart." - Ans:✔✔-
ANS: D
The emergency response system (ERS) should be activated when chest pain or other symptoms are not
completely relieved after three sublingual nitroglycerin tablets taken 5 minutes apart. Nitroglycerin can
be taken to prevent chest pain or other symptoms from developing (e.g., before intercourse). Gastric
upset (e.g., nausea) is not an expected side effect of nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin does not impact the
underlying pathophysiology of coronary artery atherosclerosis.
Page 4/33
