Final answer:
After percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), a nurse should primarily monitor for bleeding, which is a major immediate concern following this cardiac procedure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse is assessing a client who had undergone a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedure 1 hour ago.
The nurse should monitor for a variety of complications that could occur after this cardiac intervention. One of the primary concerns immediately following the procedure is the risk of bleeding from the catheter insertion site.
Other potential complications include vascular complications such as the formation of hematoma or pseudoaneurysm, arrhythmias due to myocardial irritation, and myocardial infarction if re-occlusion occurs.
While infection, hypertensive crisis, and hyperkalemia are possible complications of medical procedures, they are less immediate concerns in the first few hours following a PTCA when compared to bleeding.