A 69-year-old female patient is 36 hours post-cardiac surgery and starts experiencing a recurrent irregular heart rhythm on the monitor. Her vital signs are stable, but the ECG reveals atrial fibrillation with a ventricular rate of 130 bpm. Which of the following pharmacologic interventions should the nurse anticipate the physician to order for rate control?

(C) Correct. Diltiazem is a calcium channel blocker that is effective for controlling the ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation, especially in stable patients post-cardiac surgery.

(A) Incorrect. While amiodarone can be used for rhythm control, it is not the first line for rate control in the acute setting.

(B) Incorrect. Metoprolol may be used, but its effects can be unpredictable in postoperative settings with fluctuating hemodynamics.

(D) Incorrect. Digoxin is slower in onset and less effective for rapid rate control in an acute setting compared to diltiazem.

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