Answer: A - Polycythemia occurs as a physiological reaction to chronic hypoxemia which commonly occurs in clients with Tetralogy of Fallot. Polycythemia and the resultant increased viscosity of the blood increase the risk of thromboembolic events. Cerebrovascular accidents may occur. Signs and symptoms include sudden paralysis, altered speech, extreme irritability or fatigue, and seizures.
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a congenital (present at birth) heart defect that affects normal blood flow through the heart and to the body. It's a combination of four heart abnormalities:
- Ventricular septal defect (VSD): a hole in the wall between the two lower chambers of the heart
- Overriding aorta: the aorta, the main blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood to the body, is abnormally positioned
- Pulmonary stenosis: a narrowing of the pulmonary valve, which regulates blood flow from the right ventricle to the lungs
- Right ventricular hypertrophy: thickening of the wall of the right ventricle.
These heart abnormalities can cause low oxygen levels in the body, cyanosis (bluish tint to the skin and lips), shortness of breath, and poor weight gain. TOF is usually treated with surgery to correct the heart defects.
