Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 73%
Simulated
Passage / Scenario
School-age child with heart failure taking furosemideA nurse is assessing a school-age child who has heart failure and is taking furosemide. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an indication that the medication is effective?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct answer is A: decrease in peripheral edema. Furosemide is a loop diuretic that helps the body get rid of excess fluid and salt through increased urine output. Therefore, a decrease in peripheral edema indicates that the medication is effective in reducing fluid volume overload, a common manifestation of heart failure. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because a decrease in cardiac output, increase in venous pressure, and increase in potassium levels are not desirable outcomes when treating heart failure with furosemide.