Question

Nurse in ICU is planning care for patient who is in cardiogenic shock. The nurse should prepare to administer which of the following medications to increase cardiac output?

A. Dopamine
B. Nitroglycerin
C. Nitroprusside
D. Morphine

Answer 1

The appropriate medication to administer to a patient in cardiogenic shock to increase cardiac output is dopamine, which acts as a positive inotropic agent.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse in the ICU planning care for a patient who is in cardiogenic shock should prepare to administer medications that help increase cardiac output. Among the options listed, dopamine is the most appropriate medication. Dopamine acts as a positive inotropic agent by increasing the strength of the heart's contraction and improving cardiac output, thereby helping to manage cardiogenic shock. It mimics the effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine (NE) by stimulating the influx of calcium ions, which results in increased strength of cardiac muscle contraction. Other options such as Nitroglycerin and Nitroprusside are vasodilators, which may reduce preload and afterload but do not directly increase cardiac contractility. Morphine is primarily used for pain relief and can lead to vasodilation as well, which is not the primary goal when trying to increase cardiac output in cardiogenic shock.