Why might a newborn infant with a cardiac defect, such as coarctation of the aorta resulting in a right-to-left shunt, receive prostaglandin E?
a. To decrease inflammation
b. To control pain
c. To decrease respirations
d. To keep the ductus arteriosus patent
Question 2
A nurse is explaining a patent ductus arteriosus defect to the parents of a preterm infant. The parents indicate understanding of the defect when they state that a patent ductus arteriosus:
a. involves a defect that results in a right-to-left shunting of blood in the heart.
b. involves a defect in which the fetal shunt between the aorta and the pulmonary artery fails to close.
c. is a stenotic lesion that must be surgically corrected at birth.
d. causes an abnormal opening between the four chambers of the heart.