A patient with dilated cardiomyopathy is at risk of thromboembolism. What is the most appropriate nursing intervention to prevent this complication?

Dilated cardiomyopathy involves ventricular enlargement and systolic dysfunction, leading to blood stasis. This stasis promotes mural thrombi formation, necessitating prophylaxis to prevent systemic or pulmonary embolization during low cardiac output states. Rationale: A. Ambulation is beneficial for venous stasis, but it is insufficient as a sole measure in cardiomyopathy. Intraventricular stasis requires systemic intervention to prevent embolic events caused by sluggish intracardiac blood flow and reduced ejection fraction. B. Anticoagulant therapy is the primary intervention to inhibit thrombus formation within dilated cardiac chambers. Medications like warfarin or heparin minimize thromboembolic risk by interfering with the coagulation cascade in high-risk, low-flow environments. C. Increasing fluids may exacerbate heart failure symptoms by increasing preload on a failing heart. Overzealous hydration leads to pulmonary edema and worsening ventricular wall stress in patients with impaired contractile function. D. Hourly assessments are diagnostic for early detection of ischemia but do not prevent thrombus formation. While important for monitoring, assessment is a passive intervention that does not address the underlying pathophysiology of hypercoagulability.