A patient is taking ACEl enalapril Vasotec. The nurse understands that patients taking this type of drug for hypertension need to be monitored carefully for:

Choice A reason: While some patients might need short-term thyroid replacement therapy after radioactive iodine treatment, this is not as common as the need for long-term or lifelong therapy. Radioactive iodine often causes hypothyroidism, which requires ongoing thyroid hormone replacement.

Choice B reason: Radioactive iodine treatment frequently leads to hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland no longer produces enough thyroid hormone. As a result, patients often require lifelong thyroid hormone replacement therapy to maintain normal thyroid function. This is a common outcome and patients should be prepared for this possibility when undergoing treatment for Graves' disease.

Choice C reason: Although radioactive iodine is effective in treating Graves' disease, it does not guarantee full recovery without the need for further treatment. Most patients will develop hypothyroidism and need thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Complete recovery without any need for ongoing management is uncommon.

Choice D reason: Lifelong iodine treatment is not required after radioactive iodine therapy for Graves' disease. The primary treatment involves administering a specific dose of radioactive iodine to ablate the overactive thyroid tissue. Following this, patients typically need thyroid hormone replacement therapy, not continuous iodine treatment.

Choice A reason: Abnormally dilated arteries and veins, also known as aneurysms and varicose veins respectively, can occur due to various conditions. However, they are not the primary cause of stable angina and atherosclerosis. Aneurysms involve an abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel, while varicose veins refer to enlarged, twisted veins commonly found in the legs. These conditions do not directly cause the chronic narrowing of arteries that characterize atherosclerosis and lead to stable angina.

Choice B reason: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the legs. Although DVT is a serious medical condition that can lead to complications such as pulmonary embolism if the clot travels to the lungs, it is not related to the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis or stable angina. DVT involves venous circulation, whereas atherosclerosis and angina involve the arterial system, specifically the coronary arteries.

Choice C reason: Abnormal thickening and hardening of blood vessel walls, also known as atherosclerosis, is the primary cause of stable angina. Atherosclerosis is characterized by the buildup of plaque within the arterial walls, leading to their hardening and narrowing. This process reduces blood flow to the heart muscle, causing ischemia, which presents as chest pain, known as angina. Stable angina is a symptom of this chronic condition, which can lead to more severe cardiovascular events if left untreated.

Choice D reason: Autonomic nervous system imbalances involve abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion. While autonomic dysfunction can contribute to various cardiovascular issues and symptoms such as irregular heartbeats or blood pressure changes, it is not the underlying cause of atherosclerosis or stable angina. Atherosclerosis is primarily a disease of the arterial walls, while autonomic dysfunction pertains to the regulation of bodily systems.