Question

When caring for a patient in cardiogenic shock, the nurse recognizes that the metabolic demands of turning and moving the patient exceed the oxygen supply when what change is revealed in hemodynamic monitoring?

a. SvO2 from 62% to 54%
b. CO from 4.2 L/min to 4.8 L/min
c. Stroke volume (SV) from 52 to 68 mL/beat
d. SVR from 1300 dyne/sec/cm5 to 1120 dyne/sec/cm5

Answer 1

A decrease in mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), like from 62% to 54%, indicates that the metabolic demands exceed the oxygen supply in a patient experiencing cardiogenic shock during activities like turning and moving.

Step-by-step explanation:

When caring for a patient in cardiogenic shock, the metabolic demands of turning and moving the patient exceed the oxygen supply when there is a decrease in the mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) as revealed in hemodynamic monitoring, such as a drop in SvO2 from 62% to 54%. This indicates that the oxygen consumption of the tissues is high because there isn’t enough oxygen being supplied, which is a direct consequence of inadequate cardiac output despite the heart's efforts. In cardiogenic shock, the heart's pumping capacity is compromised, which means even with increased efforts or interventions, it may not meet the increased oxygen demands imposed by activities such as moving or turning the patient.