Question

A nurse is completing an assessment for a patient who has a history of unstable angina. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

A) Chest pain at rest
B) Symmetrical chest expansion
C) Increased breath sounds
D) Decreased central venous pressure

Answer 1

A nurse should expect to find chest pain at rest in a patient with a history of unstable angina, as this type of angina occurs without exertion and may indicate a more serious condition.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse assessing a patient with a history of unstable angina should expect to find certain symptoms indicative of this condition. Unstable angina is characterized by chest pain or pressure that is not relieved by rest and may occur without any physical exertion. This type of angina is more dangerous than stable angina and could signal an impending heart attack, requiring urgent medical attention.

Symptoms of unstable angina could include chest pain at rest, which can last for more than 15 minutes and may be new or different from the patient's usual pattern of chest discomfort. Other findings that the nurse might expect, although not specified in the question, could include shortness of breath, sweating, or nausea. However, among the choices provided in the question, the correct answer is A) Chest pain at rest.

Symmetrical chest expansion (B), increased breath sounds (C), and decreased central venous pressure (D) are not specific signs of unstable angina. Quite contrary, symmetrical chest expansion and increased breath sounds would more likely be associated with a healthy individual, while central venous pressure would likely remain unchanged in someone experiencing unstable angina.