Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification Practice Exam 2025 - Free Cardiac Vascular Nursing Practice Questions and Study Guide

A water-hammer pulse, also known as a bisferiens pulse, is a classic sign of aortic insufficiency. This pulse is characterized by a rapid rise and fall in arterial pressure, leading to a strong, bounding pulse that can be felt distinctly. The phenomenon occurs due to the significant volume of blood that regurgitates back into the left ventricle during diastole, causing a dramatic increase in stroke volume and subsequently influencing the pulse characteristics.

This condition is particularly linked to aortic insufficiency, where the aortic valve does not close properly, resulting in backflow from the aorta into the left ventricle. This leads to increased volume load on the heart and contributes to the characteristic pulse described.

In contrast, the other choices tend to be associated with different cardiovascular conditions or issues unrelated to aortic insufficiency. Bilateral ankle edema may indicate fluid overload or heart failure rather than specifically pointing to aortic insufficiency. Rales upon lung auscultation are often a sign of pulmonary congestion or edema, commonly associated with left heart dysfunction. Bradycardia refers to a slower-than-normal heart rate, which is typically not a feature of aortic insufficiency, where tachycardia may be more prevalent due to compensatory