How does angiotensin II increase the workload of the heart after a myocardial infarction (MI)?

A. Deep vein thrombosis: Patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are at a significantly higher risk for developing pulmonary embolism (PE) due to the potential for thrombus formation in the veins to dislodge and travel to the lungs. Assessing this patient as a priority is crucial, as timely intervention can prevent the development of PE.

B. Endocarditis: While endocarditis can lead to embolic events, it typically results in systemic emboli rather than specifically causing pulmonary embolism. The immediate priority for PE assessment is lower in patients with endocarditis compared to those with DVT.

C. Left heart failure: Left heart failure can lead to pulmonary congestion and respiratory symptoms but does not directly indicate a high risk of pulmonary embolism. While it is important to monitor these patients, assessing for PE is not the immediate priority.

D. Valvular disease: Valvular disease can increase the risk of thrombus formation, particularly if it results in atrial fibrillation. However, the direct connection to pulmonary embolism is not as pronounced as in patients with DVT. Therefore, assessing patients with valvular disease for PE is not the priority compared to those with DVT.

A. Stable angina: This type of angina typically occurs with physical activity or stress and is relieved by rest or the use of nitroglycerin. The patient's report of chest pain occurring with activity, subsiding after taking nitroglycerin, and lasting for 8 minutes aligns with the characteristics of stable angina, indicating that the heart is not receiving enough oxygen during increased demand.

B. Variant angina (Prinzmetal angina): This type of angina occurs due to coronary artery spasms and can happen at rest, often without any apparent trigger. It is usually relieved by rest or medication but is less likely to be activity-related, making it an unlikely diagnosis in this case.

C. Microvascular angina: This type of angina is associated with dysfunction of the small coronary arteries rather than blockages in the larger arteries. It may present differently and is often not directly linked to physical activity or relieved by nitroglycerin.

D. Unstable angina: Unstable angina is characterized by unexpected chest pain that occurs at rest, is more intense, and lasts longer than stable angina. It does not typically resolve quickly with nitroglycerin. Since the patient reports that the pain was activity-related and resolved after taking nitroglycerin, unstable angina is unlikely in this scenario.