Author Question: Why might a newborn infant with a cardiac defect, such as coarctation of the aorta resulting in a ... (Read 84 times)

renzo156 · **on:** Jun 27, 2018

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.

sultansheikh · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 27, 2018

Answer to Question 1

D
Prostaglandin E1 is given to infants with a right-to-left shunt to keep the ductus arteriosus patent to increase pulmonary blood flow.

Answer to Question 2

B
Patent ductus arteriosus is failure of the fetal shunt between the aorta and the pulmonary artery to close. A patent ductus arteriosus allows blood to flow from the high-pressure aorta to the low-pressure pulmonary artery, resulting in a left-to-right shunt. Patent ductus arteriosus is not a stenotic lesion. Patent ductus arteriosus can be closed both medically and surgically. Atrioventricular defect occurs when fetal development of the endocardial cushions is disturbed, resulting in abnormalities in the atrial and ventricular septa and the atrioventricular valves.