PVD vs PAD Quiz: Peripheral Vascular Disease (NCLEX)

1. Which clinical sign suggests severe arterial insufficiency?

Pitting edema in both legs

Gangrene of toes

Spider veins

Skin warmth and redness

2. Which diagnostic finding is most consistent with critical limb ischemia in PAD?

ABI of 0.8

ABI of 0.4 with rest pain

Mild claudication

Normal ABI with leg swelling

3. Which finding would differentiate PAD from venous disease based on skin appearance?

Shiny, hairless skin on the lower leg

Pigmentation changes and lipodermatosclerosis

Petechiae and purpura

Uniform edema of entire leg

4. A patient has varicose veins and skin discoloration around the ankle. These signs are most consistent with which condition?

Acute arterial occlusion

Chronic venous insufficiency

Lymphatic obstruction

Acute DVT only

5. Which condition is characterized by narrowing of arteries due to atherosclerotic plaque?

Peripheral Venous Disease

Peripheral Arterial Disease

Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Lymphatic obstruction

6. A patient with PAD has rest pain in the feet. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate?

Elevate the legs above heart level

Keep legs in dependent position

Apply warm compresses

Encourage leg exercises immediately

7. What is the primary pathophysiologic difference between PVD and PAD?

PVD affects only arteries; PAD affects only veins

PVD involves venous insufficiency; PAD involves arterial narrowing

Both are identical conditions with different names

PVD is acute; PAD is always chronic

8. Which risk factor is most strongly associated with the development of PAD?

Prolonged immobility

Smoking

Varicose veins

Lymphedema

9. Which finding is most consistent with chronic venous insufficiency rather than PAD?

Pale, cool skin

Absent pedal pulses

Brown hyperpigmentation and edema

Severe claudication with minimal walking

10. A patient with PAD reports leg pain that worsens with walking and improves with rest. What is this symptom called?

Venous claudication

Intermittent claudication

Rest pain

Stasis dermatitis

Submit

12. A patient presents with skin ulcers on the heel that are painful and have irregular borders. What condition should you suspect?

Venous ulcer

Arterial ulcer

Pressure ulcer

Diabetic ulcer only

13. Which diagnostic test is the gold standard for visualizing arterial stenosis in PAD?

Doppler ultrasound

CT angiography

Arterial angiography

MRI venography

Submit

15. Which medication class is commonly used as first-line treatment for claudication in PAD?

Anticoagulants

Antiplatelet agents

Vasodilators

Beta-blockers

Submit

18. Which symptom is more characteristic of venous insufficiency than PAD?

Pain that improves with leg elevation

Pain that worsens with leg elevation

Pain with minimal walking

Night pain in the calf

Submit

PVD vs PAD Quiz: Can You Tell Them Apart?

1. Which clinical sign suggests severe arterial insufficiency?

2.

What first name or nickname would you like us to use?

2. Which diagnostic finding is most consistent with critical limb ischemia in PAD?

3. Which finding would differentiate PAD from venous disease based on skin appearance?

4. A patient has varicose veins and skin discoloration around the ankle. These signs are most consistent with which condition?

5. Which condition is characterized by narrowing of arteries due to atherosclerotic plaque?

6. A patient with PAD has rest pain in the feet. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate?

7. What is the primary pathophysiologic difference between PVD and PAD?

8. Which risk factor is most strongly associated with the development of PAD?

9. Which finding is most consistent with chronic venous insufficiency rather than PAD?

10. A patient with PAD reports leg pain that worsens with walking and improves with rest. What is this symptom called?

11. In peripheral venous disease, edema typically worsens ____.

12. A patient presents with skin ulcers on the heel that are painful and have irregular borders. What condition should you suspect?

13. Which diagnostic test is the gold standard for visualizing arterial stenosis in PAD?

14. In PAD, pulses are typically ____.

15. Which medication class is commonly used as first-line treatment for claudication in PAD?

16. In PAD, the ankle-brachial index (ABI) is typically ____.

17. In peripheral vascular assessment, capillary refill time greater than 3 seconds suggests ____.

18. Which symptom is more characteristic of venous insufficiency than PAD?

19. Buerger's angle is used to assess ____.

20. The primary goal of nursing care for a patient with PAD is to ____.