A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving heparin therapy for deep-vein thrombosis.
Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse that the therapy is effective?
Platelets within the expected reference range.
Decreased INR.
Presence of pedal pulses bilaterally.
Reduced calf circumference.
The Correct Answer is D
Heparin therapy is used to prevent thrombus propagation and distal embolization while allowing the endogenous fibrinolytic system to dissolve existing clots in deep-vein thrombosis (DVT)1.
A reduction in calf circumference may indicate that the clot is dissolving and the therapy is effective.
Choice A is wrong because platelets within the expected reference range do not necessarily indicate that heparin therapy for DVT is effective.
Choice B is wrong because INR (International Normalized Ratio) is used to monitor warfarin therapy, not heparin therapy.
Choice C is wrong because the presence of pedal pulses bilaterally does not necessarily indicate that heparin therapy for DVT is effective.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Improved cognition should indicate to the nurse that the treatment with a hypertonic solution for hyponatremia is effective.
Hyponatremia can cause confusion and other neurological symptoms, so an improvement in cognition would suggest that the treatment is working to correct the electrolyte imbalance.
Choice A is wrong because Chvostek’s sign is a clinical sign of hypocalcemia, not hyponatremia.
Choice B is wrong because while vomiting can be a symptom of hyponatremia, a decrease in vomiting alone does not necessarily indicate that the treatment is effective.
Choice C is wrong because while hyponatremia can cause cardiac arrhythmias, the absence of arrhythmias alone does not necessarily indicate that the treatment is effective.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Heparin is an anticoagulant medication that is used to decrease the clotting ability of the blood and help prevent harmful clots from forming in blood vessels.
The activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is a laboratory test commonly used to monitor unfractionated heparin therapy.
An aPTT value of 90 seconds is above the therapeutic range and indicates that the heparin infusion rate should be decreased.
Choice A is wrong because Erythrocyte sedimentation rate 18 mm/hr, is not the correct answer because it is not used to monitor heparin therapy.
Choice C is wrong because INR.2, is not the correct answer because it falls within the normal range for INR values and is not used to monitor heparin therapy.
Choice D is wrong because Platelets 350,000/mm, is not the correct answer because it falls within the normal range for platelet counts and is not used to monitor heparin therapy.
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