An older patient with chronic atrial fibrillation develops sudden severe pain, pulselessness, pallor, and coolness in the right leg, consistent with acute arterial occlusion.

After the nurse notifies the healthcare provider, what should the nurse do next?

Choice A rationale
Furosemide (Lasix) is a diuretic often used in the treatment of pulmonary edema to help remove excess fluid from the body. While it’s important to monitor the patient’s fluid and electrolyte balance, it’s not typically necessary to question this medication.
Choice B rationale
Captopril (Capoten) is an ACE inhibitor used to treat conditions like heart failure and high blood pressure. It can be beneficial in managing pulmonary edema by reducing the workload on the heart. It’s not typically necessary to question this medication.
Choice C rationale
Digoxin (Lanoxin) is a medication used to treat heart failure and atrial fibrillation. It’s important to question this medication before administration because digoxin has a narrow therapeutic index, meaning the difference between a therapeutic dose and a toxic dose is small. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure the patient’s digoxin levels are within the therapeutic range before administering more of the medication.
Choice D rationale
Carvedilol (Coreg) is a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. While it’s important to monitor the patient’s blood pressure and heart rate, it’s not typically necessary to question this medication.

Choice A rationale
Exercise electrocardiography, also known as a stress test, is not typically the first-line emergent procedure for a patient with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This test is often used to diagnose coronary artery disease, but it is not typically used to treat an AMI5.
Choice B rationale
A computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest with contrast could be used to visualize the heart and surrounding structures, but it is not typically the first-line emergent procedure for a patient with an AMI5.
Choice C rationale
An echocardiogram could be used to visualize the heart’s structure and function, but it is not typically the first-line emergent procedure for a patient with an AMI5.
Choice D rationale
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the correct answer. This procedure is often used as an emergent treatment for an AMI. It involves using a catheter to place a small structure called a stent to open up blood vessels in the heart that have been narrowed by plaque buildup.