Progressive Care Nursing Certification (PCCN) Practice Exam

Initial treatments for pulmonary edema characterized by tachycardia and cough with frothy sputum typically include:

1. oxygen, thiazide diuretics, and ACE inhibitors

2. oxygen, nitroglycerin, loop diuretics, and morphine

3. oxygen, morphine, and calcium channel blockers

4. oxygen alone

The correct answer is: oxygen, nitroglycerin, loop diuretics, and morphine

The treatment for pulmonary edema, especially when it presents with symptoms like tachycardia and cough with frothy sputum, focuses on addressing the immediate respiratory distress and the underlying fluid overload. Administering oxygen is crucial to improve oxygenation in patients experiencing acute respiratory issues. Nitroglycerin plays a significant role in reducing preload and decreasing myocardial oxygen demand by dilating blood vessels, which helps alleviate the pulmonary congestion. Loop diuretics, such as furosemide, are effective in rapidly reducing excess fluid in the lungs and circulatory system, making them a mainstay in the treatment of pulmonary edema. Finally, morphine can help reduce anxiety, decrease respiratory drive, and improve comfort for the patient, which is beneficial in situations where anxiety and distress are contributing to tachycardia and respiratory difficulty. While each of the other options lists valid treatments, they either lack one or more critical components for immediate management of pulmonary edema or suggest treatments that do not directly address the acute symptoms seen in this condition.