The nurse is developing a nursing care plan for a patient who is being treated for hypertension. What is a measurable patient outcome that the nurse should include?
- A. Patient will reduce Na+ intake to no more than 2.4 g daily
- B. Patient will have a stable BUN and serum creatinine levels
- C. Patient will abstain from fat intake and reduce calorie intake
- D. Patient will maintain a normal body weight
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dietary sodium intake of no more than 2.4 g sodium is recommended as a dietary lifestyle modification to prevent and manage hypertension. Giving a specific amount of allowable sodium intake makes this a measurable goal. None of the other listed goals is quantifiable and measurable.
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The nurse is collaborating with the dietitian and a patient with hypertension to plan dietary modifications. These modifications should include which of the following?
- A. Reduced intake of protein and carbohydrates
- B. Increased intake of calcium and vitamin D
- C. Reduced intake of fat and sodium
- D. Increased intake of potassium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Lifestyle modifications usually include restricting sodium and fat intake, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, and implementing regular physical activity. There is no need to increase calcium, potassium, and vitamin intake. Calorie restriction may be required for some patients, but a specific reduction in protein and carbohydrates is not normally indicated.
A patients medication regimen for the treatment of hypertension includes hydrochlorothiazide. Following administration of this medication, the nurse should anticipate what effect?
- A. Drowsiness or lethargy
- B. Increased urine output
- C. Decreased heart rate
- D. Mild agitation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Thiazide diuretics lower BP by reducing circulating blood volume; this results in a short-term increase in urine output. These drugs do not cause bradycardia, agitation, or drowsiness.
A 55-year-old patient comes to the clinic for a routine check-up. The patients BP is 159/100 mm Hg and the physician diagnoses hypertension after referring to previous readings. The patient asks why it is important to treat hypertension. What would be the nurses best response?
- A. Hypertension can cause you to develop dangerous blood clots in your legs that can migrate to your lungs
- B. Hypertension puts you at increased risk of type 1 diabetes and cancer in your age group
- C. Hypertension is the leading cause of death in people your age
- D. Hypertension greatly increases your risk of stroke and heart disease
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Hypertension, particularly elevated systolic BP, increases the risk of death, stroke, and heart failure in people older than 50 years. Hypertension is not a direct precursor to pulmonary emboli, and it does not put older adults at increased risk of type 1 diabetes or cancer. It is not the leading cause of death in people 55 years of age.
A patient in hypertensive urgency is admitted to the hospital. The nurse should be aware of what goal of treatment for a patient in hypertensive urgency?
- A. Normalizing BP within 2 hours
- B. Obtaining a BP of less than 110/70 mm Hg within 36 hours
- C. Obtaining a BP of less than 120/80 mm Hg within 36 hours
- D. Normalizing BP within 24 to 48 hours
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In cases of hypertensive urgency, oral agents can be administered with the goal of normalizing BP within 24 to 48 hours. For patients with this health problem, a BP of 120/80 mm Hg may be unrealistic.
The nurse is screening a number of adults for hypertension. What range of blood pressure is considered normal?
- A. Less than 140/90 mm Hg
- B. Less than 130/90 mm Hg
- C. Less than 129/89 mm Hg
- D. Less than 120/80 mm Hg
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: JNC 7 defines a blood pressure of less than 120/80 mm Hg as normal, 120 to 129/80 to 89 mm Hg as prehypertension, and 140/90 mm Hg or higher as hypertension.
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