A nurse is providing education to the family of a client who has infectious endocarditis. which of the following statements made by the nurse is accurate regarding this condition?

Rationale:
A. While defibrillation may be necessary, it should not be the first action. Immediate assessment determines whether the client is pulseless or unstable, which guides the appropriate intervention.

B. Delaying assessment to contact the provider could waste critical time, especially in life-threatening arrhythmias like VT. Nurses must act immediately according to the patient’s condition and protocols.

C. The first action in any suspected life-threatening arrhythmia is to assess the patient’s ABCs. This assessment determines hemodynamic stability and guides whether to perform CPR, defibrillation, or prepare for cardioversion, prioritizing patient safety.

D. Antiarrhythmic drugs may be indicated after assessment and determination of stability, but they are not the initial intervention. Immediate evaluation of ABCs is required to prevent deterioration.

Rationale:
A. Percutaneous transluminal balloon valvuloplasty (PTBV) is a minimally invasive procedure that dilates the stenotic mitral valve without replacing it. Since no prosthetic valve is implanted, clients typically do not require lifelong anticoagulation, which is a major advantage over mechanical valve replacement.

B. While PTBV is less invasive than open surgery, it usually requires moderate sedation or general anesthesia for patient comfort and safety. Local anesthesia alone is rarely sufficient.

C. PTBV improves valve opening temporarily, but valve restenosis can occur over time, so the correction is not necessarily permanent. Valve replacement provides a more long-term solution.

D. While PTBV avoids prosthetic material and thus may reduce some infection risks, infection is generally not the primary concern with valve replacement, and the overall difference in infection risk is not a primary advantage cited for PTBV.