1a. What first actions should the nurse take, and what are the rationales for these actions?
Pulmonary edema is a condition caused by excess fluids in the air sacs causing the lungs to swell. The dysfunction of the left ventricle leads to the insufficient blood supply to the body. This condition is known as left ventricular failure. the first action is to sit the patient down and administer supplemental oxygen through a nasal cannula or a face mask. The nurse should monitor the patient’s oxygen levels. Medication is administered to the patient depending on the level of his condition.
1b. What are the actions of furosemide that will help the patient?
Furosemide is an antidiuretic drug that is used to get rid of excess fluids in the lungs. The drug works by increasing urine excretion and preventing pumps from depositing fluids into the air sacs. The drug also reduces the swelling in the lungs to help the patient breathe efficiently.
1c. What nursing actions should be implemented when administering a diuretic?
The drug should always be administered with milk or food to protect the stomach lining from adverse effects. Intravenous administration of the drug is done slowly. This action prevents severe changes in the electrolyte and fluid changes. The nurse should monitor the patient’s vital signs to measure the effectiveness of the medication.
2a. Which of his medications might be contributing to his symptoms of generalized weakness and heart irregularities?
Lasix is a medication that reduces excess fluid from the body in several conditions, including heart failure. The drug causes several side effects to the body, including nausea, confusion, muscle cramps, fainting, dizziness, fatigue, and fast and irregular heartbeat.
2b. For what clinical manifestations should you assess to correlate to his left-sided heart failure?
Left-sided heart failure manifests in the body through symptoms like fatigue, irregular and fast heartbeat, nausea, shortness of breath, wheezing, body weakness, sudden weight gain, lack of appetite, and shortness of breath.
2c. How do his medications treat his congestive heart failure?
Digoxin medication is given to patients with heart failure to strengthen the heart muscle contractions to pump blood. Capoten works by decreasing the tightness of blood vessels by reducing the chemicals that cause a reaction, thereby assuring efficient pumping of blood. Coreg medication reduces the heart rate and blood pressure, therefore, reducing strain on the heart. Lasix reduces fluid retention and swelling that can cause staining of the heart.
2d. How does the hypokalemia affect the effects of Digitalis?
Hypokalemia reduces decreases the mechanism in which Digitalis works in the body to reduce digoxin. This effect results in digoxin toxicity.
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