The nurse is caring for a patient who has just returned after having left carotid artery angioplasty and stenting. Which assessment information is of most concern to the nurse?

Choice A reason: Difficulty speaking post-carotid artery angioplasty suggests a neurological complication, possibly stroke, requiring immediate intervention. This aligns with post-procedure neurological assessment priorities, making it the most concerning finding for the nurse to address urgently in the patient’s care.

Choice B reason: Fine crackles at lung bases may indicate fluid overload but are less urgent than speech difficulty, which suggests stroke. Neurological complications take precedence, making this secondary and incorrect compared to the nurse’s priority of addressing potential cerebral events post-procedure.

Choice C reason: A pulse of 102 beats/min is mildly elevated but less critical than speech difficulty, which may indicate a neurological event. Stroke risk is the primary concern, making this less urgent and incorrect compared to the nurse’s focus on neurological assessment post-angioplasty.

Choice D reason: Blood pressure of 144/86 mm Hg is elevated but within acceptable post-procedure ranges. Speech difficulty suggests a neurological issue, making this less concerning and incorrect compared to the nurse’s priority of evaluating potential stroke in the patient post-angioplasty.

Choice A reason: Degeneration of dopamine neurons causes Parkinson’s, not MS, which involves nerve fiber demyelination. This is incorrect, as it misattributes a Parkinson’s-related mechanism to MS, unlike demyelination, which explains the neurological symptoms in multiple sclerosis patients.

Choice B reason: Demyelination of nerve fibers in the central nervous system disrupts signal transmission, causing MS symptoms like weakness and vision issues. This aligns with neurological pathophysiology, making it the correct effect related to the symptoms of multiple sclerosis in patients.

Choice C reason: Overproduction of acetylcholine is unrelated to MS, which is driven by demyelination, not neurotransmitter excess. This is incorrect, as it does not explain the neurological deficits in MS, unlike the demyelination of nerve fibers central to the disease’s symptoms.

Choice D reason: Loss of motor neurons occurs in ALS, not MS, where demyelination causes symptoms. This is incorrect, as it confuses MS with a different neurodegenerative condition, unlike demyelination, which is the primary central nervous system effect in multiple sclerosis.