To determine treatment effectiveness in a patient with pancreatitis, the nurse should monitor which of these tests?

Choice A reason: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is a procedure used to open narrowed coronary arteries, usually with a balloon or stent. It is not a diagnostic test for assessing heart valves but rather a treatment for coronary artery disease.

Choice B reason: Echocardiography is a non-invasive imaging test that uses ultrasound waves to create detailed images of the heart's structures, including the heart valves. It allows for the assessment of valve function, structure, and blood flow, making it an essential tool for diagnosing valvular heart disease.

Choice C reason: Exercise testing, also known as a stress test, evaluates the heart's response to physical activity. While it can provide information on how well the heart handles increased workload and detect issues like ischemia, it is not specifically used for assessing heart valves.

Choice D reason: Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) records the electrical activity of the heart and is used to detect arrhythmias, heart attacks, and other cardiac conditions. However, it does not provide detailed information about the heart valves' structure or function.

Choice A reason: The regulation of water balance by the kidneys involves maintaining the appropriate volume and concentration of body fluids. By taking daily weights, nurses can assess fluid retention or loss, while monitoring intake and output (I&O) helps track fluid balance. Specific gravity measures the concentration of urine, which provides information about the kidneys' ability to concentrate or dilute urine. These interventions directly relate to the kidneys' role in regulating water balance.

Choice B reason: Regulation of acid-base balance by the kidneys involves maintaining the proper pH levels in the blood through excretion or retention of hydrogen ions and bicarbonate. While important, this function is not the primary focus of interventions like daily weights, I&O, and specific gravity monitoring, which are more related to water balance.

Choice C reason: The regulation of blood pressure by the kidneys is achieved through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which controls blood volume and systemic vascular resistance. Although fluid balance can indirectly affect blood pressure, the specific interventions mentioned are more directly related to water balance than blood pressure regulation.

Choice D reason: Regulation of metabolic wastes involves the kidneys filtering and excreting waste products from the blood. This function is vital for overall health, but interventions like daily weights, I&O, and specific gravity monitoring are more focused on assessing fluid balance rather than directly measuring waste elimination.