Heart Failure
JoAnn Smith, 72 years old
Primary Concept
Perfusion
Interrelated Concepts (In order of emphasis)
1. Gas Exchange
2. Fluid and Electrolyte Balance
3. Clinical Judgment
4. Patient Education
5. Communication
6. Collaboration
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UNFOLDING Reasoning Case Study: STUDENT
History of Present Problem:
Heart Failure
JoAnn Smith is a 72-year-old woman who has a history of myocardial infarction (MI) four years ago and systolic heart
failure secondary to ischemic cardiomyopathy with a current ejection fraction (EF) of only 15%. She presents to the
emergency department (ED) for shortness of breath (SOB) the past three days. Her shortness of breath has progressed
from SOB with activity to becoming SOB at rest. The last two nights she had to sleep in her recliner chair to rest
comfortably upright. She is able to speak only in partial sentences and then has to take a breath when talking to the nurse.
She has noted increased swelling in her lower legs and has gained six pounds in the last three days. She is being
transferred from the ED to the cardiac step-down where you are the nurse assigned to care for her.
Personal/Social History:
JoAnn is a retired math teacher who is unable to maintain the level of activity she has been accustomed to because of the
progression of her heart failure the past two years. She has struggled with depression the past two years and has been
more withdrawn since her husband of 52 years died unexpectedly three months ago from a myocardial infarction.
What data from the histories is RELEVANT and has clinical significance to the nurse?
RELEVANT Data from Present Problem: Clinical Significance:
MI four years ago,
increase shortness of breath at rest; can only
speak in partial sentences,
ischemic cardiomyopathy with EF of 15%
last two nights slept in recliner
increased swelling in lower legs
gained 6 pounds in last 3 days
MI is significant because it decreases heart function due to death of
myocardial muscle
EF of 15% shows that the heart is having a hard time pumping blood out to
rest of the body therefore starving it of oxygenated blood.
Weight gain and increased swelling signifies she is fluid overloaded and it
can be reason why she is having a hard time talking, breathing, being
active and why she has to sleep in a recliner the past 2 nights
RELEVANT Data from Social History: Clinical Significance:
Retired math teacher, recent widow, history of
depression, decreasing activity level
Depression might affect her enthusiasm to recover, to stick to a therapy
regimen
What is the RELATIONSHIP of your patient’s past medical history (PMH) and current meds?
(Which medication treats which condition? Draw lines to connect)
PMH: Home Meds: Pharm. Classification: Expected Outcome:
Diabetes mellitus type II
Hypertension
Atrial fibrillation
Hyperlipidemia
Chronic renal insufficiency
(baseline creatinine 2.0)
Cerebral vascular accident
(CVA) with no residual
deficits
Heart failure (systolic)
secondary to ischemic
cardiomyopathy
MI with stent x2 to LAD 4
years ago
1. ASA 81 mg PO daily
2. Carvedilol 3.25 mg PO
daily
3. Lisinopril 5 mg PO
daily
4. Ezetimide 10 mg PO
daily
5. Hydralazine 25 mg PO
4x daily
6. Torsemide 20 mg PO
bid
7. KCL 20 meq PO daily
8. Warfarin 5 mg PO daily
9. Glyburide 5 mg PO
daily
Antiplatelets
Beta blocker
ACE inhibitor
Cholesterol
medication
Vasodilator
Diuretic
Electrolyte
replacement
Anticoagulant
Antidiabetic
Decrease chance of
clot formation
Decrease blood
pressure
Decrease blood
pressure, helps with
heart failure,
decrease chance of
death from heart
attack
Decrease
cholesterol
Decrease blood
pressure
Decrease swelling,
decrease fluid
overload
Increase serum
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Version | 2021 |
Pages | 19 |
Language | english |
Comments | 0 |
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