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When caring for a person with a pacemaker you would NOT...

a. report hiccoughing
b. report eyes watering
c. carefully monitor the pulse rate
d. report any discoloration over the implant site

1 Answer

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Final answer:

In the care of a person with a pacemaker, eyes-watering would not be reported as it's not related to pacemaker function. Hypothetical Hall voltage from an MRI could harm the pacemaker or heart, which is why MRIs are not done on patients with pacemakers. Sudden dizziness and a strange taste during an MRI might be from rapid movement affecting the inner ear or taste nerves.

Step-by-step explanation:

When caring for a person with a pacemaker, you would not report eyes watering, as it is generally unrelated to the function or complications of a pacemaker. Medical professionals should report hiccoughing, as persistent hiccups may indicate diaphragm stimulation caused by the pacemaker. Careful monitoring of the pulse rate is essential to ensuring the pacemaker is functioning properly. Additionally, any discoloration over the implant site should be reported immediately, as it could signify an infection or other complications.

During an MRI, the strong magnetic fields and radio waves may induce an electrical current in conductive materials, which could generate a Hall voltage. This phenomenon is dangerous for the moving heart and, more significantly, for the wires of a pacemaker. Such Hall voltage can interfere with the normal operation of the pacemaker or even damage it, which is why patients with pacemakers are generally not given MRIs. As for a patient in an MRI unit experiencing dizziness and a strange taste in their mouth after turning their head quickly, these symptoms could result from the interaction of the rapid movement with the MRI's magnetic field, possibly affecting the inner ear or stimulating the taste nerves transiently.

User Tilak Putta
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