The nurse discussing potential risk factors of infective endocarditis with a hospitalized client would include which of the following as a potential risk factor of this disease process?
Prosthetic cardiac valves
Sedentary lifestyle
Radiation exposure
Cardiac catheterization
The Correct Answer is A
A. The presence of prosthetic heart valves is a significant risk factor for infective endocarditis due to the increased likelihood of bacterial colonization.
B. Sedentary lifestyle is not a direct risk factor for infective endocarditis, though it may contribute to other cardiovascular issues.
C. Radiation exposure – While it may affect cardiac tissue, it is not considered a risk factor for infective endocarditis.
D. Cardiac catheterization – While it is an invasive procedure, it is not a major or common risk factor for infective endocarditis compared to prosthetic valves or structural heart defects.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Splinter hemorrhages are a common sign of infective endocarditis but are not immediately life-threatening.
B. Fever is a typical manifestation of infection and expected in infective endocarditis, not a priority unless unresponsive to treatment.
C. Clusters of petechiae in the mouth indicate microemboli or vascular involvement, but they are not an acute threat.
D. Dyspnea is the priority finding because it may indicate heart failure or pulmonary embolism, both of which are serious complications of infective endocarditis and require immediate intervention.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Ventricular tachycardia presents with wide QRS complexes and a fast ventricular rate, but not sawtooth P waves.
B. Atrial flutter is characterized by a rapid atrial rate (typically around 250–350 beats/min) and "sawtooth" flutter waves on the ECG. The ventricular response is often regular, as seen in this client with a ventricular rate of 82 beats/min.
C. Atrial fibrillation presents with an irregularly irregular rhythm and absent P waves, replaced by fibrillatory waves — not the sawtooth pattern described here.
D. Ventricular fibrillation shows chaotic, irregular, and disorganized electrical activity with no identifiable P waves, QRS complexes, or T waves, and would not present as a stable rhythm with a ventricular rate of 82 bpm.
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