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Quizzes > Health & Medicine

Peripheral Artery Disease Quiz: NCLEX Practice for PVD

Quick, free PAD quiz with instant feedback and clear rationales.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Deepak SeethurUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of quiz promoting free PAD NCLEX practice, vascular diagram, text blocks on coral background

This PAD NCLEX quiz helps you review peripheral vascular disease and check your knowledge before the exam. Get instant feedback and clear rationales on pulses, risk factors, and patient teaching. For a deeper review, see the peripheral vascular assessment quiz, practice core concepts with perfusion nclex questions, and round out prep with NCLEX cardiovascular questions.

Which symptom is most characteristic of peripheral arterial disease?
Warmth of the extremity
Dependent edema
Intermittent claudication
Resting tremors
Peripheral arterial disease commonly presents with intermittent claudication, which is muscle pain triggered by exercise and relieved by rest. This pain results from inadequate blood flow to meet metabolic demands during activity. Other signs like resting tremors or warmth are not typical of arterial occlusive disease.
What is an early physical exam finding in a patient with peripheral arterial disease?
Increased skin temperature
Hyperpigmentation
Pitting edema
Bruit over femoral artery
A bruit heard over the femoral or iliac arteries indicates turbulent flow from arterial narrowing and is an early sign of PAD. Pitting edema and hyperpigmentation are more typical of venous insufficiency, while increased temperature does not align with arterial occlusion.
How is the ankle-brachial index (ABI) calculated?
Ankle systolic pressure minus brachial systolic pressure
Ankle diastolic pressure divided by brachial diastolic pressure
Brachial systolic pressure divided by ankle systolic pressure
Ankle systolic pressure divided by brachial systolic pressure
The ABI is calculated by dividing the highest ankle systolic pressure by the highest brachial systolic pressure. A value less than 0.90 indicates PAD. This noninvasive test helps quantify the severity of arterial obstruction.
Which of the following is the most important modifiable risk factor for peripheral arterial disease?
Family history of PAD
Male gender
Age over 60 years
Cigarette smoking
Cigarette smoking accelerates atherosclerosis and is the most significant modifiable risk factor for PAD. Quitting smoking can dramatically slow disease progression. Nonmodifiable factors like age and family history cannot be changed.
Which limb position helps relieve rest pain in peripheral arterial disease?
Semi-Fowler's with legs flat
Dependent (legs hanging down)
Trendelenburg position
Supine with legs elevated
A dependent position increases arterial blood flow to the feet by using gravity, relieving ischemic rest pain. Elevating the legs reduces perfusion pressure and worsens pain.
Which medication is specifically indicated to improve walking distance in patients with intermittent claudication?
Warfarin
Metoprolol
Cilostazol
Enalapril
Cilostazol is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor that improves walking distance by vasodilation and inhibition of platelet aggregation. Warfarin and enalapril do not target claudication symptoms, and metoprolol is for heart rate control.
Why does the foot become pale and cool when a leg is elevated in PAD?
Reflex vasoconstriction in response to position change
Increased sympathetic tone with elevation
Venous pooling from elevation
Gravity-dependent reduction in arterial perfusion
Elevating the limb reduces the hydrostatic pressure head, dropping arterial perfusion below the ischemic threshold in PAD. Venous pooling and reflex vasoconstriction are not primary causes of pallor in this condition.
Which dietary recommendation is most appropriate for a patient with PAD?
No dietary modifications needed
High sodium and fluid-restricted diet
Low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet
High-protein, low-carbohydrate diet
A diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol helps manage atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of PAD. High-protein or high-sodium diets do not specifically address plaque formation. Lifestyle changes are essential in PAD management.
A patient with PAD has weak pedal pulses. Which assessment technique is most accurate to detect these pulses?
Palpate with firm pressure over the artery
Apply ice to localize the pulse
Use a Doppler ultrasound device
Elevate the leg and palpate the dorsalis pedis
Doppler ultrasound enhances detection of weak pulses by converting flow signals into audible sounds, which is more reliable than palpation alone in PAD. Ice application and leg elevation are not recommended pulse assessment methods.
What is the primary pathophysiological mechanism in peripheral arterial disease?
Venous valve incompetence
Lymphatic obstruction
Atherosclerotic plaque buildup causing arterial narrowing
Immune complex deposition in vessel walls
PAD is primarily due to atherosclerosis, where lipid-rich plaques narrow arterial lumens, reducing blood flow. Immune complex deposition and venous issues relate to other vascular disorders.
Which laboratory test should be monitored for a patient receiving unfractionated heparin for PAD-related complications?
D-dimer level
International normalized ratio (INR)
Prothrombin time (PT)
Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)
The aPTT is used to monitor the anticoagulant effect of unfractionated heparin. PT and INR are used for warfarin, and D-dimer is used to assess thrombus formation or degradation.
Pentoxifylline is prescribed for a patient with intermittent claudication due to PAD. What is its primary mechanism of action?
Selective beta-2 agonist causing vasodilation
Calcium channel blockade
Direct thrombin inhibitor
Increases erythrocyte flexibility and decreases blood viscosity
Pentoxifylline improves microcirculatory flow by increasing red blood cell flexibility and decreasing blood viscosity, enhancing oxygen delivery to ischemic tissues. It is not a beta-agonist, direct anticoagulant, or calcium channel blocker.
Which growth factor plays a key role in stimulating collateral vessel formation in chronic peripheral arterial disease?
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)
Epidermal growth factor (EGF)
Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)
VEGF is critical for angiogenesis and collateral vessel formation in response to chronic ischemia in PAD. While PDGF and FGF have roles in tissue repair, VEGF is the primary driver of new capillary growth. EGF is mainly involved in epithelial cell proliferation.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify key clinical features of PAD -

    Readers will recognize hallmark signs and symptoms of peripheral arterial disease to improve assessment accuracy in NCLEX scenarios.

  2. Interpret diagnostic data -

    Readers will analyze ankle-brachial index values and other diagnostic findings to determine PAD severity and guide care decisions.

  3. Apply evidence-based interventions -

    Readers will select appropriate pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments for PAD patients based on current best practices.

  4. Differentiate PAD from other vascular disorders -

    Readers will distinguish peripheral arterial disease from venous insufficiency and other peripheral vascular conditions in clinical contexts.

  5. Analyze patient scenarios -

    Readers will use critical thinking to answer PAD NCLEX questions and manage complex peripheral vascular disease case studies.

  6. Evaluate risk reduction strategies -

    Readers will assess and recommend lifestyle modifications and preventive measures to reduce PAD progression and improve patient outcomes.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Interpreting the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) -

    The ABI is the gold standard for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease, calculated by dividing the highest ankle systolic pressure by the highest brachial systolic pressure. An ABI <0.9 indicates PAD, with 0.4 - 0.9 reflecting mild to moderate disease and <0.4 severe ischemia. Use the mnemonic "AB over B I" to remember the formula - common in pad nclex questions.

  2. Understanding Pathophysiology and Risk Factors -

    Peripheral arterial disease stems from atherosclerotic plaque buildup that narrows arteries and reduces distal perfusion. Major risk factors include smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia - qualities frequently tested in pvd nclex questions. Think "SAD H" (Smoking, Age, Diabetes, Hypertension) to recall key contributors.

  3. Recognizing Clinical Signs and the 6 Ps -

    Classic signs of PAD include intermittent claudication, dependent rubor, and cool, hairless skin on the extremities. Assess for the "6 Ps": pain, pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, paralysis, and poikilothermia; these are hygiene in peripheral vascular disease nclex questions. A quick neurovascular check prevents critical limb ischemia complications.

  4. Nursing Interventions and Client Education -

    Promote supervised graded exercise programs to improve collateral circulation and reduce claudication, as recommended by the American Heart Association. Encourage clients to keep extremities dependent (dangling) to enhance blood flow, and perform meticulous foot care to prevent ulcers - topics often featured in nclex questions peripheral arterial disease scenarios. Use teach-back methods to reinforce understanding.

  5. Pharmacologic Management and Lifestyle Modifications -

    First-line therapy includes antiplatelet agents (aspirin or clopidogrel) and statins to reduce cardiovascular risk; cilostazol can improve walking distance in claudication. Advise smoking cessation and dietary changes to optimize lipid profiles - pillars of peripheral vascular disease nclex questions. The rule "Quit, Eat, Move" helps clients remember lifestyle goals.

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