(1 point):. A patient with acute pericarditis develops pericardial effusion.
Which type of fluid is associated with this condition?

Choice A rationale:

Mitogens like angiotensin II and growth factors stimulate smooth muscle proliferation. Mitogens are substances that promote cell division and growth. Angiotensin II, for example, is known to stimulate smooth muscle cell proliferation, which can lead to conditions like vascular remodeling and hypertension.

Choice B rationale:

Endothelial injury is not directly stimulated by mitogens. Mitogens are more associated with cell growth and proliferation rather than causing injury to endothelial cells.

Choice C rationale:

Mitogens are not typically associated with cardiac muscle toxicity. Cardiac muscle toxicity can result from various factors like certain medications or diseases, but mitogens are not the primary cause of cardiac muscle toxicity.

Choice D rationale:

Mitogens are not directly related to the activation of phagocytes. Phagocytes are white blood cells involved in the immune response, and their activation is more related to infection or inflammation rather than mitogenic stimulation. Moving on to the last question.

Choice A rationale:

Choice A is not the answer. Syncope refers to fainting or losing consciousness, and it is not typically an assessment finding associated with pulmonary edema. The symptoms of pulmonary edema are more related to respiratory distress and fluid overload rather than loss of consciousness. Therefore, this statement is not relevant to the development of pulmonary edema in left-sided heart failure.

Choice B rationale:

Choice B is not the answer. Weak pulses and decreased skin temperature are not specific assessment findings for pulmonary edema. In pulmonary edema, patients often exhibit symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, crackles in the lungs, and pink frothy sputum. These symptoms are related to the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, rather than changes in peripheral pulses or skin temperature.

Choice C rationale:

Choice C is not the answer. Oliguria refers to reduced urine output, and while it can be related to kidney dysfunction in some cases, it is not a direct assessment finding of pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema primarily presents with respiratory symptoms, such as severe dyspnea, cough, and audible crackles in the lungs, due to fluid accumulation.

Choice D rationale:

The correct answer is choice D. Dyspnea and cough are key assessment findings that indicate to the nurse that pulmonary edema has developed in a patient with left-sided (congestive) heart failure. Pulmonary edema is characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, leading to severe difficulty in breathing (dyspnea) and a productive cough with frothy, pink-tinged sputum. These respiratory symptoms are typical of pulmonary edema and should alert the nurse to its presence. .