C H A P T E R 4 4
Cardiotonic agents
695
C H E C K Y O U R U N D E R S T A N D I N G
Answers to the questions in this chapter can be found in
Appendix A at the back of this book.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Select the best answer to the following.
1.
A nurse or midwife assessing a person with HF
would expect to find which of the following:
a.
cardiac arrest.
b.
congestion of blood vessels.
c.
a myocardial infarction.
d.
a pulmonary embolism.
2.
Calcium is needed in the cardiac muscle:
a.
to break apart actin–myosin bridges.
b.
to activate troponin.
c.
to promote contraction via sliding.
d.
to maintain the electrical rhythm.
3.
When assessing a person with right-sided HF, the
nurse or midwife would expect to find oedema:
a.
in gravity-dependent areas.
b.
in the hands and fingers.
c.
around the eyes.
d.
when the person is lying down.
4.
ACE inhibitors and other vasodilators are used in
the early treatment of HF. They act to:
a.
cause loss of volume.
b.
increase arterial pressure and perfusion.
c.
cause pooling of the blood and decreased venous
return to the heart.
d.
increase the release of aldosterone and improve
fluid balance.
5.
A nurse or midwife is preparing to administer a
prescribed cardiotonic drug to a person based on the
understanding that this group of drugs act in which
way?
a.
They block the sympathetic nervous system.
b.
They block the renin–angiotensin system.
c.
They block the parasympathetic influence on the
heart muscle.
d.
They affect intracellular calcium levels in the
heart muscle.
6.
A nurse or midwife would instruct a person taking
Lanoxin
(digoxin) for the treatment of HF to do
which of the following?
a.
Make up any missed doses the next day.
b.
Report changes in heart rate.
c.
Avoid exposure to the sun.
d.
Switch to generic tablets if less expensive.
7.
A nurse or midwife is about to administer
Lanoxin
to a person whose apical pulse is 48 beats/min. She
should:
a.
give the drug and notify the prescriber that the
heart rate is low.
b.
retake the pulse in 15 minutes and give the drug
if the pulse has not changed.
c.
retake the pulse in 1 hour and withhold the drug
if the pulse is still less than 60 beats/minute.
d.
withhold the drug and notify the prescriber that
the heart rate is below 60 beats/minute.
8.
Before giving digoxin to an infant, the healthcare
professional should:
a.
notify the prescriber that the dose is about to be
given and recheck the ordered dose.
b.
check the apical pulse and have another
healthcare professional double-check the dose.
c.
make sure that the infant has eaten, has a full
stomach and has been given an antacid.
d.
check the apical pulse and give the drug very
slowly.
MULTIPLE RESPONSE
Select all that apply.
1.
HF occurs when the heart fails to pump effectively.
Which of the following could cause HF?
a.
coronary artery disease
b.
chronic hypertension
c.
cardiomyopathy
d.
fluid overload
e.
pneumonia
f.
cirrhosis
2.
A person develops left-sided HF after an MI. Which
of the following would the nurse expect to find
during the person’s assessment?
a.
orthopnoea
b.
polyuria
c.
tachypnoea
d.
dyspnoea
e.
blood-tinged sputum
f.
swollen ankles
