Medical-surgical Nursing Demystified

(^42) Medical-Surgical Nursing Demystified
TREATMENT
Treatment is directed at the causative factor(s). Occasionally treatment may in-
clude support for CHF and antiarrhythmics, if needed.

• Administer antiarrhythmics to stabilize an irritable heart:
  
  
  • quinidine
  
  
  • procainamide
  
  
  
  

NURSING DIAGNOSES

• Hyperthermia


• Decreased cardiac output


• Activity intolerance

NURSING INTERVENTION

• Temporarily limit the patient’s activities to decrease stress on the heart.


• Provide bedside commode.


• Monitor for:
  
  
  • Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) because fluid overload.
  
  
  • Heart rate >100 beats per minute (tachycardia) because infection or inflam-
    mationmay increase the heart rate.
  
  
  
  


• No competitive sports.


• Return to normal activities slowly once physician approves.

Pericarditis

WHAT WENT WRONG?

The membrane that encloses the heart (pericardium) is inflamed. Pericarditis is

either acute or chronic.

Acute pericarditis is most commonly associated with viral infections. Upper

respiratory symptoms are not uncommon and can occur a few weeks prior to the

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