A patient with type 1 diabetes was prescribed a glucocorticoid for COPD. Which will the nurse expect in this patient?

Choice A reason: Vasodilators are not the preferred agents for the initial treatment of heart failure. They are used as adjunctive therapy to reduce the afterload and preload on the heart. However, they do not address the fluid overload that is the main cause of heart failure symptoms.

Choice B reason: Diuretics are the preferred agents for the initial treatment of heart failure. They help to reduce the fluid overload and congestion in the lungs and peripheral tissues. They also lower the blood pressure and improve the cardiac output and renal function.

Choice C reason: Calcium channel blockers are not the preferred agents for the initial treatment of heart failure. They are contraindicated in most cases of heart failure because they can worsen the cardiac function and increase the mortality. They can also cause peripheral edema and hypotension.

Choice D reason: Direct renin inhibitors are not the preferred agents for the initial treatment of heart failure. They are a newer class of drugs that block the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which is involved in the pathophysiology of heart failure. However, they have not shown any significant benefit over the existing RAAS inhibitors, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). They can also cause hyperkalemia and renal impairment.

Choice A reason: Lipid-laden mast cells are not foam cells. Mast cells are immune cells that release histamine and other inflammatory mediators. They do not accumulate lipids or have a soap-like texture.

Choice B reason: Macrophages that engulf low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are foam cells. They are part of the atherosclerotic process that leads to plaque formation in the blood vessels. They are called foam cells because they have a foamy appearance under the microscope.

Choice C reason: Injured neutrophil clots are not foam cells. Neutrophils are immune cells that fight infection and form pus. They do not engulf LDLs or contribute to atherosclerosis.

Choice D reason: Deposited adipose cells are not foam cells. Adipose cells are fat cells that store energy and secrete hormones. They do not phagocytose LDLs or form plaques in the blood vessels.