A two-month-old infant is hospitalized for repair of a ventricular septal defect. The infant's admitting diagnosis is moderate congestive heart failure. What signs and symptoms would you expect to see in your assessment?

Bradycardia, bounding pulses, cyanosis

Overdiuresis, increased appetite, increased thirst

Wheezing, pallor, capillary refill time < 2 seconds

Tachypnea, cough, tachycardia

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: This is not a correct statement, as bradycardia, bounding pulses, and cyanosis are not typical signs and symptoms of moderate congestive heart failure. Bradycardia may indicate a heart block or a vagal response, bounding pulses may indicate a patent ductus arteriosus or aortic regurgitation, and cyanosis may indicate a severe right-to-left shunt or a pulmonary embolism¹.

Choice B reason: This is not a correct statement, as overdiuresis, increased appetite, and increased thirst are not typical signs and symptoms of moderate congestive heart failure. Overdiuresis may indicate a renal dysfunction or a diuretic overdose, increased appetite may indicate a normal growth spurt or a metabolic disorder, and increased thirst may indicate dehydration or diabetes¹.

Choice C reason: This is not a correct statement, as wheezing, pallor, and capillary refill time < 2 seconds are not typical signs and symptoms of moderate congestive heart failure. Wheezing may indicate a bronchospasm or an asthma attack, pallor may indicate anemia or shock, and capillary refill time < 2 seconds may indicate a normal or increased peripheral perfusion¹.

Choice D reason: This is the correct statement, as tachypnea, cough, and tachycardia are typical signs and symptoms of moderate congestive heart failure. Tachypnea may indicate a respiratory distress or a pulmonary edema, cough may indicate a fluid accumulation or an infection in the lungs, and tachycardia may indicate a compensatory mechanism or a cardiac arrhythmia¹².

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: This is not a correct statement, as the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend avoiding breastfeeding for children with congenital heart disease. On the contrary, it supports breastfeeding as the optimal source of nutrition for infants, including those with special health care needs¹.

Choice B reason: This is the correct statement, as the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend avoiding breastfeeding for children with congenital heart disease. Breastfeeding may have several benefits for these infants, such as enhancing their immune system, reducing their risk of infection, and promoting their growth and development¹². However, breastfeeding may also pose some challenges for these infants, such as increased energy expenditure, poor weight gain, and difficulty coordinating sucking, swallowing, and breathing²³. Therefore, breastfeeding should be individualized and monitored for each infant with congenital heart disease, and supplemented with formula or fortified breast milk if needed²³.

A. Cardiac arrhythmia B. Decreased cardiac output C. Increased stroke volume D. Cyanosis

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Cardiac arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm that can affect the heart's ability to pump blood. However, it is not a direct consequence of a ventricular septal defect (VSD), which is a hole in the wall between the lower chambers of the heart¹.

Choice B reason: Decreased cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute. It can be reduced by a VSD, as the blood can flow back from the left ventricle to the right ventricle through the hole, instead of being pumped to the body. This can cause the infant to have cool extremities, thready pulses, and low urine output, as the tissues are not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients².

Choice C reason: Increased stroke volume is the amount of blood pumped by the heart per beat. It can be increased by a VSD, as the left ventricle has to work harder to compensate for the blood loss through the hole. However, this does not explain the infant's symptoms, as the stroke volume may not be enough to maintain a normal cardiac output².

Choice D reason: Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to low oxygen levels in the blood. It can be caused by a VSD, as the oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle can mix with the oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle through the hole, and then be pumped to the body. However, this is more likely to occur in large VSDs or in infants with other heart defects that cause right-to-left shunting of blood³.

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A two-month-old infant is hospitalized for repair of a ventricular septal defect. The infant's admitting diagnosis is moderate congestive heart failure. What signs and symptoms would you expect to see in your assessment?

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that breastfeeding should be avoided for children with congenital heart disease because it requires less energy to suck from a bottle than the breast.

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A six-month-old infant is hospitalized for repair of a ventricular septal defect. As you are doing his physical exam, you note that the infant's extremities are cool, he has thready pulses, and his urine output is diminished. These clinical findings are suggestive of which of the following?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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