A nurse is assessing a toddler who has heart failure. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
Bradycardia
Weight loss
Orthopnea
Increased urine output
The Correct Answer is C
A. Bradycardia is not typically expected in toddlers with heart failure; instead, tachycardia (increased heart rate) is more common as the body compensates for decreased cardiac output.
B. Weight loss is generally not a typical finding in toddlers with heart failure; rather, they often experience weight gain due to fluid retention.
C. Orthopnea, or difficulty breathing when lying flat, is a common symptom of heart failure and would be expected in a toddler due to fluid overload affecting respiratory function.
D. Increased urine output is usually not expected in heart failure; rather, fluid retention often leads to decreased urine output as the kidneys respond to the body's fluid balance needs.
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Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Distributive shock, particularly in the context of anaphylaxis, is characterized by widespread vasodilation that leads to a decrease in systemic vascular resistance and impaired blood flow to organs despite normal or increased cardiac output.
B. This option is incorrect because distributive shock involves decreased systemic vascular resistance due to vasodilation rather than an increase.
C. This statement describes hypovolemic shock, not distributive shock. Distributive shock is not primarily caused by the loss of blood volume.
D. While loss of myocardial contractility can lead to cardiogenic shock, it is not the mechanism behind distributive shock, which is related to vascular tone rather than heart function.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Preparing for immediate surgery is necessary, but the priority intervention is to ensure adequate oxygenation and blood flow through the ductus arteriosus before surgery can be performed.
B. Initiating feeding through a nasogastric tube is not a priority for an infant with this condition, as their immediate need is to address the circulatory issue rather than feeding.
C. Administering oxygen via nasal cannula may provide some relief but is not sufficient as a standalone intervention for transposition of the great vessels, which requires maintaining ductal patency to allow mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
D. Administering prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is the priority intervention, as it helps maintain patency of the ductus arteriosus, allowing for temporary stabilization of the infant’s condition until surgical intervention can be performed.