A nurse is caring for a client who is newly-admitted and has angina. The client asks the nurse, "Why am I taking nitroglycerin?" Which of the following responses should the nurse make?

A. "Nitroglycerin relieves nausea and prevents vomiting, which could lead to aspiration." Nitroglycerin is not an antiemetic. B. "Nitroglycerin acts as a bronchodilator to open small airways and decrease shortness of breath." Nitroglycerin is a vasodilator, not a bronchodilator. C. "Nitroglycerin decreases chest pain by dissolving blood clots that are occluding the arteries." Thrombolytics dissolve clots; nitroglycerin relieves ischemic chest pain by vasodilation and reducing myocardial oxygen demand, not by lysing clots. D. "Nitroglycerin dilates cardiac blood vessels to deliver more oxygen to the heart." Nitroglycerin dilates coronary arteries (and venous capacitance vessels), improving myocardial perfusion and decreasing preload/afterload, which reduces ischemic chest pain.