Atrial Fibrillation Jane Henry, 78 year-old female has atrial fibrillation. She
ID: 85656 • Letter: A
Question
Atrial Fibrillation Jane Henry, 78 year-old female has atrial fibrillation. She is under your care and is reporting left arm weakness. You take the patient's vitals and find the following: HR: 110 BP: 180/100 RR: 20 SpO2: 92% Temp: 98.6 degrees F Medications: Coumadin 2mg PO daily Cardiazem 30mg PO TID Simvastatin 20mg PO HS Xanax 0.25mg PO BID What should your detailed nursing assessment consist of at this time? What laboratory results will you look for? Why? What effects will the cardiazem exert? Jane asks if the weakness could be related to the simvastain? Is this possible? What may be causing the patient's hypertension? What is the patient at risk for? Why? What diet should the patient be on? What will you report to the physician? Why?Explanation / Answer
1. The present assessment would be based on the vitals of the patient that show elevated blood pressure and elevated heart rate . Thus the assessment would be that the patient is hypertension, further results need to be checked.
2. Laboratory results that are to be checked would be whole blood results followed by total lipid profile and also a look on the diet chart is required. Also, the prothrombin time test is required to be checked. This would determine if the blood clot remover or the blood thinner is working properly.
3. Cardizem is a dilitiazem which is a calcium channel blocker. This medicine is used for the treatment of hypertension. It is used to lower the blood pressure of a patient.
4. Simvastatin is a lipid lowering medicine. One of the serious side effects of simvastatin is muscle breakdown. This maybe the cause of weakness as questioned by Jane.
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