A nurse is performing a cardiac assessment on a client with heart failure. In assessing the client's apical pulse, the nurse notes the pulse to be displaced to the left. What conclusion can be drawn from this assessment?

A. This is a normal finding.
B. The heart is hypertrophied.
C. The left ventricle is contracted.
D. The client is experiencing pulsus alternans.


B
The client with heart failure typically has a hypertrophied heart that displaces the apical pulse to the left.

Nursing

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