A patient presents to the Emergency Room with swollen legs and shortness of breath. He tells you that he has a history of heart failure which causes the fluid to build up m his legs and lungs. When you listen to his lung sounds you are most likely to hear which type of breathing sounds?
Rales
Crackles
Rhonchi
Stridor
The Correct Answer is B
Crackles, also known as rales, are discontinuous sounds that are typically heard during inspiration in patients with heart failure. These sounds are produced by the sudden opening of small airways and alveoli that are filled with fluid or collapsed due to pulmonary congestion. The sound can be described as similar to the sound of rubbing hair between fingers or the sound of Velcro being pulled apart.
Rhonchi are continuous, low-pitched sounds that are typically heard during expiration and are caused by the movement of air through narrowed airways, such as in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Stridor is a high-pitched, continuous sound that is typically heard during inspiration and indicates upper airway obstruction, which can be life-threatening. Neither rhonchi nor stridor are typically heard in patients with heart failure.
Therefore, based on the patient's history and symptoms, the most likely type of breathing sound to be heard on auscultation is crackles/rales.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
This response provides the patient with accurate and reassuring information about the EKG procedure. It explains that the test is painless and describes what will happen during the test. The other responses do not provide as much information or reassurance to the patient.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Stridor is a high-pitched, inspiratory sound that indicates partial obstruction of the upper airway. It is a common finding in newborns and can occur due to the presence of mucus, fluid, or a small airway that has not yet fully developed. It is important to note that while stridor is an expected finding in newborns, it should still be assessed and monitored closely by healthcare professionals.
Bruits are abnormal sounds heard over blood vessels and are not related to breath sounds. Crackles are a series of brief, discontinuous, nonmusical sounds heard during inspiration or expiration, indicating fluid in the lungs. Wheezing is a high-pitched, musical sound heard during expiration and can indicate the narrowing of the airways. These sounds are not typically expected in the breath sounds of a newborn.
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