NCLEX Review & Nursing School

ANGINA PECTORIS

• – PAIN CAUSED BY INADEQUATE BLOOD FLOW THROUGH THE BLOOD VESSELS OF THE HEART.
• ♣ IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANGINA PECTORIS AND MI.

– A paroxysmal chest pain caused by (ischemia) due to insufficient blood flow to the myocardium.
RISK FACTORS:

• ATHEROSCLEROSIS
• HYPERTENSION
• DIABETES MELLITUS
• CIGARETTE SMOKING

Assessment Findings:

THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANGINA

1. STABLE ANGINA PECTORIS- OCCURS WITH EXERTION, IT IS RELEIEVED BY REST AND DOES NOT INCREASE IN FREQUENCY OR SEVERITY.
2. VARIANT OR PRINZMETAL ANGINA-  IS USUALLY CAUSED BY CORONARY ARTERY SPASMS.
3. SILENT ANGINA- IS USUALLY ASYMPTOMATIC MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIABETES MELLITUS AND HYPERTENSION.

• USUALLY DESCRIBES AS A (SQUEEZING, HEAVY DISCOMFORT PRESSURE)
• PAIN* IS THE # 1 SYMPTOM.  SUBSTERNAL PAIN THAT CAN RADIATE TO NECK, JAW AND BACK
• MAY BE RELIEVED BY REST.
• TACHYCARDIA, PALPITATIONS

DIAGNOSTIC TESTS:

• THE ECG WILL SHOW AN ST SEGMENT DEPRESSION AND T WAVE INVERSION DURING THE ANGINAL PAIN.
• THE HOLTER MONITOR WILL REVEAL AN ST SEGMENT DEPRESSION AND T WAVE INVERSION.

INTERVENTIONS:

• HOLD NITRATES IF THE BP IS LESS THAN 90 MM HG.

Side Effects:

• Burning or tingling in the mouth
• dizziness
• flushing
• headache
• heavy sweating
• nausea
• pale skin
• vomiting

When taking Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat)

– Store tablets in a dark bottle.  Lights lessens its effeciency.
– Do not take tablet with fluid
– Place nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue (and let it melt).
– Take up to three tablets 5 min. apart. (If still no relief, go to hospital).