The client is admitted to the nurse's unit with a diagnosis of heart failure. His heart is not pumping effectively, which is resulting in edema and coarse crackles in his lungs. The term for this condition is which of the following?

Question

A) Fluid volume deficit
B) Myocardial Infarction
C) Fluid volume excess
D) Atelectasis

Answer 1

Ans: C
A common cause of fluid volume excess is failure of the heart to function as a pump, resulting in accumulation of fluid in the lungs and dependent parts of the body. Fluid volume deficit does not manifest itself as edema and abnormal lung sounds, but results in poor skin turgor, sunken eyes, and dry mucous membranes. Atelectasis is a collapse of the lung and does not have to do with fluid abnormalities. Myocardial infarction results from a blocked coronary artery and may result in heart failure, but is not a term for fluid volume excess.