Question

Which complications, along with edema in the ankles, does the nurse expect in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd)? select all that apply?

Answer 1

There are choices for this question namely:

Leukopenia
Weight gain 
Polycythemia 
Hepatomegaly 
Jugular vein distension

The correct answers are "weight gain", "hepatomegaly" and "jugular vein distension". Along with bipedal edema, these signs are associated with the complication of COPD which is called cor pulmonale. Cor pulmonale is a kind of right sided heart failure wherein blood pools to the systemic circulation because the right side of the heart cannot overcome the pulmonary vascular resistance brought about the COPD. Pooling of blood in the systemic circulation causes bipedal edema, hepatomegaly (cardiac cirrhosis; congestion of the liver), weight gain (increased interstitial fluid volume), and jugular vein distension.