Cardiac-Vascular Nursing (CVRN) Practice Exam

What is the most common cause of death for patients with heart failure?

1. Sinus tachycardia

2. Complete heart block

3. Ventricular fibrillation

4. Atrial fibrillation

The correct answer is: Ventricular fibrillation

The most common cause of death in patients with heart failure is often attributed to arrhythmias, particularly ventricular fibrillation. Heart failure is characterized by the heart's inability to pump blood effectively, which can lead to a number of complications including abnormal heart rhythms. Ventricular fibrillation is a critical condition where the heart's electrical activity becomes chaotic, preventing the heart from pumping blood, thus leading to sudden cardiac death if not treated immediately. In patients with heart failure, the structural and electrical disruptions in the heart's myocardium often predispose them to life-threatening arrhythmias. The presence of heart failure can cause remodeling of the heart muscle and alterations in conduction pathways, making episodes of ventricular fibrillation more likely. This situation poses a direct life-threatening risk compared to other arrhythmias or conditions. While sinus tachycardia and complete heart block can occur in heart failure patients, they are less frequently cited as immediate causes of death compared to more lethal arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation, although common in heart failure patients, primarily increases the risk of thromboembolic events rather than being directly a leading cause of mortality in the same way ventricular fibrillation is. Thus, understanding the relationship between heart failure and arrhythmias