NURS 3104 Study Guide - Final Guide: Ace Inhibitor, Ventricular Tachycardia, Adenosine Triphosphate

• School: Mount Royal University
• Department: Nursing
• Course: NURS 3104
• Professor: helena

Document Summary

Common serum laboratory tests and implications for patients with cardiovascular disease. Low or high serum sodium levels do not directly affect cardiac function. Hyponatremia:decreased sodium levels indicate uid excess and can be caused by heart failure or administration of thiazide diuretics. Hypernatremia:increased sodium levels indicate uid de cits and can result from decreased water intake or loss of water through excessive sweating or diarrhea. potassium has a major role in cardiac electrophysiologic function. Hypokalemia:decreased potassium levels due to administration of potassium-excreting diuretics can cause many forms of dysrhythmias, including life-threatening ventricular tachycardia or ventricular brillation, and predispose patients taking digitalis preparations to digitalis toxicity. Serious consequences of hyperkalemia include heart block, asystole, and life-threatening ventricular dysrhythmias. Calcium is necessary for blood coagulability, neuromuscular activity, and automaticity of the nodal cells (sinus and atrioventricular nodes). Hypocalcemia:decreased calcium levels slow nodal function and impair myocardial contractility. the latter effect increases the risk for heart failure.