Heart Failure Nursing Certification Practice Test

For patients to be eligible for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy with a Defibrillator (CRT-D) therapy, they must meet specific criteria that encompass both the indications for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) and the need for an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). This dual requirement is crucial as CRT is aimed at improving the heart's pumping efficiency and coordinating contractions in patients with heart failure due to conduction abnormalities, while the ICD component is necessary for those at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias.

Patients typically must have symptomatic heart failure, often classified according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA), and a reduced ejection fraction indicating that their heart is not pumping effectively. Simultaneously, they must also present with a risk of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, which the ICD component is designed to prevent. Therefore, the requirement to meet the criteria for both therapies ensures that patients receive the combined benefits of improved cardiac function and protection from arrhythmias, maximizing their potential for overall health improvement.

Other options may suggest limitations based on heart failure class, comorbidities, or age, but these factors do not fundamentally align with the standardized eligibility criteria required for CRT-D therapy. Moreover, patients