The patient presents to the ED with severe chest discomfort. A cardiac catheterization and angiography shows an 90% occlusion of the left main coronary artery. Which procedure will be most likely performed on this patient?

Furosemide: Furosemide is a diuretic that is commonly used to manage fluid overload in patients with heart failure. The patient has significant pitting edema, increasing dyspnea, and elevated BNP levels, indicating worsening heart failure. Administering furosemide is a high priority to reduce fluid overload and relieve symptoms.

Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram can provide valuable information about heart function.

Aspirin: Aspirin is typically used for its antiplatelet effects in conditions like coronary artery disease. It is not essential for managing acute symptoms of heart failure. The patient’s primary issue is fluid overload rather than a clotting concern.

Losartan: Losartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), is commonly used in the management of chronic heart failure to reduce afterload and prevent further cardiac remodeling. It is essential as part of the long-term management plan for heart failure.

Cardiac catheterization: Cardiac catheterization is an invasive procedure typically used to assess coronary artery disease or for interventional procedures. It is not indicated for the acute management of heart failure symptoms and could pose unnecessary risks in this context.

Chest X-ray: A chest X-ray is essential to assess the extent of pulmonary congestion and rule out other causes of respiratory distress, such as pneumonia or pleural effusion, which are important in managing a patient with worsening heart failure.

A. This response is dismissive of the patient's concerns and does not address the underlying issue of the patient's misunderstanding of cardiac rehabilitation.
B. This response defers to the physician without providing the patient with helpful information.
C. While true, this statement does not address the patient’s concern about the irreversibility of heart damage.
D. This response directly addresses the patient’s concern by explaining the purpose of cardiac rehabilitation, which is to safely increase activity levels and improve overall heart health, even though the heart damage cannot be undone.