A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students about brain herniation. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include as a possible treatment for brain herniation?
Decrease sedation.
Hyperventilate the client.
Lower blood pressure.
Reduce the temperature in the room.
The Correct Answer is B
A. Decrease sedation: Decreasing sedation may help reduce intracranial pressure (ICP) by allowing the client to have a more responsive level of consciousness. However, it is not a direct treatment for brain herniation. Sedation reduction should be done cautiously to prevent agitation and further increases in ICP.
B. Hyperventilate the client: Hyperventilation is a temporary intervention used to reduce intracranial pressure by inducing cerebral vasoconstriction, which decreases cerebral blood flow and intracranial volume. However, it is typically reserved for acute situations and is not considered a definitive treatment for brain herniation. Prolonged or excessive hyperventilation can lead to cerebral ischemia and should be used cautiously.
C. Lower blood pressure: Lowering blood pressure may help reduce cerebral perfusion pressure, which can mitigate the risk of further brain injury during herniation. However, lowering blood pressure alone is not a direct treatment for brain herniation. It may be part of the overall management strategy to prevent secondary injury.
D. Reduce the temperature in the room: Reducing the temperature in the room, or therapeutic hypothermia, is sometimes used in the management of elevated intracranial pressure and brain injury. Lowering body temperature can reduce metabolic demands and cerebral edema, thereby lowering intracranial pressure. However, it is not a direct treatment for brain herniation and should be implemented cautiously to prevent complications such as shivering and hypotension.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. "The heart and the coronary arteries weaken, leading to poor perfusion and resulting in angina": This statement is inaccurate. While angina can result from poor perfusion to the heart muscle, it is not typically due to weakening of the heart and coronary arteries. Angina often occurs due to coronary artery narrowing or blockage, leading to reduced blood flow and oxygen delivery to the myocardium.
B. "Coronary arteries become more elastic causing the arteries to stretch as individuals age causing the heart not to receive enough oxygen": This statement is incorrect. Coronary arteries do not become more elastic with age; in fact, they tend to become less elastic due to the development of atherosclerosis, which leads to arterial stiffening and decreased compliance. Atherosclerosis can cause narrowing or occlusion of the coronary arteries, resulting in reduced oxygen delivery to the heart muscle.
C. "Coronary arteries decrease in diameter leading to insufficient blood, oxygen, and nutrients reaching the heart muscle. Manifestations occur due to dilation of coronary arteries with increased blood flow causing increased pressure": This statement is partially incorrect. While it accurately describes the consequences of coronary artery narrowing (decrease in diameter) leading to insufficient blood, oxygen, and nutrient delivery to the heart muscle, the second part of the statement regarding dilation of coronary arteries with increased blood flow causing increased pressure is inaccurate. Coronary artery dilation is a compensatory response to increased demand for oxygen, aiming to improve blood flow to the myocardium. However, dilation alone does not increase pressure in the coronary arteries.
D. "Coronary arteries decrease in diameter leading to insufficient blood, oxygen, and nutrients reaching the heart muscle": This statement is accurate. Coronary artery disease (CAD) involves the progressive narrowing of the coronary arteries due to atherosclerosis, which reduces blood flow to the myocardium. As the arteries narrow, there is insufficient blood, oxygen, and nutrients reaching the heart muscle, leading to manifestations such as angina, myocardial ischemia, and potentially myocardial infarction.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Septal myectomy: Septal myectomy is a surgical procedure primarily used to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), not atrial fibrillation. It involves removing a portion of the thickened septal wall in the heart to improve blood flow.
B. Synchronized electrical cardioversion: Synchronized electrical cardioversion is a procedure used to convert abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation, back to normal sinus rhythm. It involves delivering a synchronized electrical shock to the heart at a specific point in the cardiac cycle to restore normal rhythm.
C. Pericardiocentesis: Pericardiocentesis is a procedure used to remove fluid from the pericardial sac surrounding the heart. It is typically performed to relieve cardiac tamponade or to investigate the cause of pericardial effusion.
D. Pericardial window: A pericardial window is a surgical procedure performed to create a permanent opening in the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart. It is usually done to drain fluid or air from the pericardial space, often in cases of recurrent pericardial effusion or cardiac tamponade.
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