NCLEX RN Practice Question # 568

NCLEX Examination.

Practice Question # 568.

ANGINA

Description

• Angina is chest pain resulting from myocardial ischemia caused by inadequate myocardial blood and oxygen supply.
• Angina is caused by an imbalance between oxygen supply and demand.
• Causes include obstruction of coronary blood flow resulting from atherosclerosis, coronary artery spasm, or conditions increasing myocardial oxygen consumption.

Patterns of angina

Stable angina

• Also called exertional angina
• Occurs with activities that involve exertion or emotional stress; relieved with rest or nitroglycerin
• Usually has a stable pattern of onset, duration, severity, and relieving factors

Unstable angina

• Also called preinfarction angina
• Occurs with an unpredictable degree of exertion or emotion and increases in occurrence, duration, and severity over time
• Pain may not be relieved with nitroglycerin.

Variant angina

• Also called Prinzmetal’s or vasospastic angina
• Results from coronary artery spasm
• May occur at rest

1. Attacks may be associated with ST segment elevation noted on the electrocardiogram (ECG).

Intractable angina is a chronic, incapacitating angina unresponsive to interventions.

Preinfarction angina

• Associated with acute coronary insufficiency
• Lasts longer than 15 minutes
• Symptom of worsening cardiac ischemia
• Occurs after an MI, when residual ischemia may cause episodes of angina