Final answer:
Climbing a flight of stairs is likely to cause the most distress for a client with heart failure due to the high cardiovascular demand. The heart's compromised pumping ability cannot meet the increased demand, exacerbating symptoms such as fatigue and dyspnea.
The correct answer is option c. Climbing a flight of stairs to the bedroom
Step-by-step explanation:
When assessing a client with heart failure for activity tolerance, the nurse would expect climbing a flight of stairs to the bedroom to cause the most distress for the client. Activities like climbing stairs require significant cardiovascular effort and can greatly increase the workload on an already compromised heart, leading to increased symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, and potentially other signs of decompensation such as orthopnea or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.
In heart failure, the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently is reduced, affecting systemic and pulmonary circulation, which can exacerbate symptoms during physically demanding activities like climbing stairs. The skeletal muscle pump, which aids venous return, might be less effective in people who have limited physical activity, such as sitting or standing for long periods. This can contribute to symptoms like swollen feet and ankles, as seen in the obese patient who stands all day and has poor exercise tolerance.