An infant is brought to the emergency department with suspected coarctation of the aorta. Which clinical symptoms would the nurse expect to find?
Cyanosis of the lips and tongue
Weak or absent femoral pulses
Bounding pulses in the upper extremities
High blood pressure in the lower extremities
Poor feeding and irritability
Correct Answer : B,C,E
A. Cyanosis of the lips and tongue is not a typical finding in coarctation of the aorta; rather, it is more associated with cyanotic congenital heart defects.
B. Weak or absent femoral pulses are expected due to reduced blood flow to the lower body, as the coarctation typically occurs distal to the left subclavian artery.
C. Bounding pulses in the upper extremities are common because the blood flow to the upper body is increased, leading to stronger pulses.
D. High blood pressure in the lower extremities is not typical; instead, there is often lower blood pressure in the lower body due to the obstruction.
E. Poor feeding and irritability are common symptoms in infants with heart conditions, as they may be in distress or not getting enough blood flow to meet their metabolic needs.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Bradycardia is not typically expected in toddlers with heart failure; instead, tachycardia (increased heart rate) is more common as the body compensates for decreased cardiac output.
B. Weight loss is generally not a typical finding in toddlers with heart failure; rather, they often experience weight gain due to fluid retention.
C. Orthopnea, or difficulty breathing when lying flat, is a common symptom of heart failure and would be expected in a toddler due to fluid overload affecting respiratory function.
D. Increased urine output is usually not expected in heart failure; rather, fluid retention often leads to decreased urine output as the kidneys respond to the body's fluid balance needs.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. This option is incorrect as it does not describe the expected blood pressure difference in coarctation of the aorta.
B. Coarctation of the aorta typically presents with higher blood pressure in the upper body (arms) and lower blood pressure in the lower body (legs) due to the obstruction of blood flow distal to the aortic arch.
C. This option is incorrect because while coarctation can lead to decreased perfusion in the lower extremities, it does not typically result in decreased blood pressure in both the arms and legs simultaneously.
D. While increased blood pressure may occur in the arms, the legs would not typically show increased blood pressure in cases of coarctation.
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