Lipp Vis Nursing ChaptLWBK1630_C02_p013-068

48  Chapter 2 • Cardiovascular Care Teaching About Endocarditis • Teach the patient about the prescribed

• Teach the patient to brush their teeth with a soft toothbrush, rinse mouth thoroughly, and avoid flossing teeth. • Teach the patient how to recognize symptoms of

antibiotics. Stress the importance of taking prescribed medication and restricting activities for as long as the physician orders. • Teach the patient to watch closely for fever, anorexia, and other signs and symptoms of relapse after treatment stops. • Make sure the patient understands the need for a prophylactic antibiotic before, during, and after dental work, childbirth, and genitourinary, GI, or gynecologic procedures.

LESSON PLANS

endocarditis, and to notify the physician immediately if such symptoms occur.

TIP: Antimicrobial therapy for IE should be dosed to optimize sus- tained bactericidal serum concentra- tions throughout the dosing interval as much as possible.

CARDIOMYOPATHY Cardiomyopathy is a term to describe heart disease which results from an abnormality in the myocardium. Diseases of the myocardium produce abnormalities in cardiac wall thickness, chamber size, mechanical and/or electrical dysfunction, often associated with significant morbidity and mortality.

Nursing Considerations • Alternate periods of rest with required activities of daily living and treatments. Provide personal care as needed to prevent fatigue. • Provide active or passive range of motion exercises to prevent muscle atrophy. • Explain the necessity of maintaining a low-sodium diet.

PICTURING PATHO

A

B

Normal heart ( A ) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ( B ) in which disproportionate thickening of the intraventricular septum causes intermittent left ventricular outflow obstruction. (Reprinted with permission from Porth C. Essentials of Pathophysiology . 4th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer; 2015.)