A client with mitral stenosis tells the nurse that she will not seek treatment for this disorder because she "doesn't really feel that bad." The nurse's best response would be that untreated mitral stenosis can result in
A) creation of small emboli.
B) frequent bouts of pericarditis.
C) potentially fatal myocardial infarcts.
D) pulmonary effusion.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Untreated mitral stenosis can progress from mild disability to severe disability in about 3 years. Ineffective atrial contractions allow some stagnation of blood in the left atrium and encourage the formation of mural thrombi. These thrombi easily break away and travel as small emboli in the arterial system, causing tissue infarction. Untreated, a client can progress from asymptomatic to having a severe disability in less than 10 years.

A Client with Mitral Stenosis Tells the Nurse That She