Florida State Paramedic Practice Exam

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In which condition would you likely observe jugular venous distension (JVD)?

Hypovolemia
Right-sided heart failure
Atrial fibrillation
Myocardial infarction

The correct answer is: Right-sided heart failure

Jugular venous distension (JVD) is primarily associated with conditions that lead to increased central venous pressure. In right-sided heart failure, the heart struggles to effectively pump blood, leading to a backlog of blood in the venous system. As pressure builds up in the right atrium, it transmits back through the jugular veins, causing distension. In contrast, hypovolemia typically results in decreased venous return to the heart and lower central venous pressure, which would not lead to JVD. Atrial fibrillation might lead to irregular blood flow and could potentially result in JVD if it causes heart failure, but it is not a direct indicator. Myocardial infarction can affect cardiac function and may lead to some level of JVD if it causes heart failure, but again, this is not as direct a relationship as with right-sided heart failure, where JVD is a classic finding. Therefore, observing JVD is most clearly linked to right-sided heart failure due to its direct impact on venous pressure.