You are providing care to a patient with pericarditis.

Which of the following is NOT a proper nursing intervention for this patient?

Choice A rationale
Heberden’s nodes are bony swellings that occur at the distal interphalangeal finger joint, a sign of osteoarthritis. They are not associated with infective endocarditis (IE).
Choice B rationale
Bouchard’s nodes are similar to Heberden’s nodes but occur at the proximal interphalangeal finger joint. They are also a sign of osteoarthritis and not associated with IE.
Choice C rationale
Janeway lesions are flat, painless, red or purple spots on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet. They are associated with IE and are caused by septic emboli which are small clots filled with bacteria. These emboli can lodge in small blood vessels, causing these characteristic lesions.
Choice D rationale
Tophi are hard, uric acid deposits under the skin. They are a sign of chronic gout, not IE.

Choice A rationale
Calcium channel blockers are primarily used to treat hypertension, angina, and certain heart arrhythmias. They work by relaxing the muscles of your heart and blood vessels. While they can affect heart rate and blood pressure, they would not typically have immediate implications for a patient presenting with intermittent chest pain.
Choice B rationale
Phosphodiesterase 5 enzyme inhibitors, such as sildenafil (Viagra), are used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. These medications can interact with nitroglycerin, a common medication used to treat chest pain, to cause a severe and life-threatening drop in blood pressure. Therefore, it’s crucial to know if a patient is taking this type of medication when they present with chest pain.
Choice C rationale
Anticoagulants are used to prevent blood clots. If a patient is taking an anticoagulant, it could affect their clotting times and could be important if the patient needs surgery or if the cause of their chest pain is a clot. However, this would not typically have immediate implications for the treatment of chest pain.
Choice D rationale
Loop diuretics are strong diuretics that are used to treat edema and hypertension. They work by preventing your body from absorbing too much salt, allowing the salt to instead be passed in your urine. While important to know for overall patient care, they would not typically have immediate implications for a patient presenting with chest pain.