A client has a long history of hypertension and has developed heart failure.The nurse should anticipate giving medications for which purpose?
A)To increase preload
B)To decrease afterload
C)To decrease contractility
D)To decrease cardiac output

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In heart failure, the heart is unable to pump blood effectively, leading to backup of fluid in the lungs and other parts of the body. To improve the heart's ability to pump blood, medications that decrease afterload (the resistance the heart must work against to pump blood out of the ventricles) are often given. This reduces the workload on the heart and improves cardiac output. Drugs commonly used for this purpose include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and beta blockers. Medications that increase preload, decrease contractility, or decrease cardiac output would be contraindicated in this scenario.

A Client Has a Long History of Hypertension and Has