Question

A patient who has been taking an antihypertensive medication for several years is recovering from a myocardial infarction. The prescriber changes the patient's medication to an ACE inhibitor. The patient asks the nurse why a new drug is necessary. What is the nurse's response?

a. "ACE inhibitors can prevent or reverse pathologic changes in the heart's structure."
b. "ACE inhibitors help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol."
c. "ACE inhibitors increase venous return to the heart, improving cardiac output."
d. "ACE inhibitors regulate electrolytes that affect the cardiac rhythm."

Answer 1

The nurse would explain that the prescribed ACE inhibitor is necessary because it can help prevent or reverse pathologic changes in the heart's structure, particularly after a myocardial infarction, by blocking the production of angiotensin II.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse's response would be option a. ACE inhibitors can prevent or reverse pathologic changes in the heart's structure. The prescriber changes the patient's medication to an ACE inhibitor. The patient asks the nurse why a new drug is necessary, and the nurse's response is: "ACE inhibitors can prevent or reverse pathologic changes in the heart's structure."

ACE inhibitors are a class of medication that act on the renin-angiotensin system, which is responsible for regulating blood pressure and fluid balance. By inhibiting the action of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), these drugs decrease the production of angiotensin II, which leads to vasodilation, reduced blood pressure, and decreased workload on the heart. This therapeutic action can assist in the remodeling of the heart after damage, such as that caused by a myocardial infarction, and improve the patient's prognosis.