A patient with heart failure has recently started taking Digoxin (Lanoxin), Furosemide (Lasix), and Captopril. Which finding by the home health nurse is a priority to communicate to the healthcare provider?

Choice A rationale
Increasing glomerular filtration would result in increased urine output, not decreased venous return. This action is not directly related to the therapeutic action of nitroglycerin.
Choice B rationale
While enhancing the contractility of the myocardium would increase oxygen delivery, this is not the primary action of nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin primarily works by dilating the blood vessels, which reduces the amount of work the heart has to do and increases the blood supply to the heart muscle.
Choice C rationale
Nitroglycerin does not produce an immediate analgesic effect. While it can relieve chest pain, it does so by increasing blood flow to the heart, not by acting as an analgesic.
Choice D rationale
Nitroglycerin increases the coronary blood supply and decreases the afterload314. By dilating the blood vessels, nitroglycerin reduces the amount of work the heart has to do and increases the blood supply to the heart muscle. This is the primary therapeutic action of nitroglycerin in alleviating chest pain.

Choice A rationale
While it’s important to inquire about an allergy to iodine in a patient who has undergone an angiogram, it’s not typically the priority for assessing and documenting for this patient after the procedure. An allergy to iodine would be more relevant before the procedure, as iodine-based contrast dye is often used during an angiogram.
Choice B rationale
Checking peripheral pulses in the affected leg is typically a priority when caring for a patient who has undergone an angiogram. This is because the procedure involves inserting a catheter into a blood vessel in the leg. Checking the peripheral pulses can help assess for potential complications such as a blood clot or decreased blood flow to the leg.
Choice C rationale
Monitoring for decreased blood pressure is important in a patient who has undergone an angiogram, but it’s not typically the priority for assessing and documenting for this patient after the procedure. While changes in blood pressure can occur after any medical procedure, other assessments such as checking peripheral pulses in the affected leg are typically more directly related to potential complications of an angiogram.
Choice D rationale
Tracking fluid intake is an important part of overall patient care, but it’s not typically the priority for assessing and documenting for a patient who has undergone an angiogram. Other assessments such as checking peripheral pulses in the affected leg are typically more directly related to potential complications of an angiogram.