Hypertension Management

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What should a patient avoid doing 30 minutes before having their blood pressure measured?

Taking medication
Smoking cigarettes or drinking caffeine (correct)
Drinking water
Exercising

What is the recommended position for a patient's arm during blood pressure measurement?

Arm held straight out to the side
Arm resting on the thigh
Forearm supported at heart level on a firm surface (correct)
Arm resting on the patient's lap

What is the minimum percentage of the arm circumference that the rubber bladder width of the blood pressure cuff should cover?

30%
40% (correct)
60%
50%

How many readings should be taken to assess a patient's blood pressure?

At least two (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is recommended for patients who measure their blood pressure at home?

Keep a written record of readings (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism by which medications used to treat hypertension work?

Decrease peripheral resistance, blood volume, or myocardial contraction (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of hypertension?

A systolic blood pressure greater than 140 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure greater than 90 mm Hg (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why is hypertension sometimes referred to as 'the silent killer'?

Because people who have it are often symptom-free (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the classification of hypertension when the reason for the elevation cannot be identified?

Primary hypertension (A) Signup and view all the answers

What must occur for hypertension to develop?

A change in one or more factors affecting peripheral resistance and cardiac output (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to monitor blood pressure at regular intervals?

Because hypertension is a lifelong condition (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between hypertensive urgency and hypertensive emergency?

The presence of organ damage (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical blood pressure reading associated with hypertensive urgency?

180/110 or higher (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is hypertension associated with?

Dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why do patients with poorly controlled hypertension or those who have abruptly discontinued their medications require nursing intervention?

They are at risk for hypertensive crises (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of urinalysis in the assessment and diagnostic evaluation of hypertension?

To assess kidney function (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is one way that nurses use blood pressure?

To monitor a patient's clinical status (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is echocardiography used for in the assessment and diagnostic evaluation of hypertension?

To assess heart function (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does elevated blood pressure indicate?

An excessive dose of vasoconstrictive medication (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical setting for reducing blood pressure in a hypertensive emergency?

Intensive care unit (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of prolonged, uncontrolled hypertension?

Myocardial infarction (A) Signup and view all the answers

As a risk factor, what does hypertension contribute to?

The rate at which atherosclerotic plaque accumulates within arterial walls (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is hypertension as a disease a major contributor to?

Death from cardiac, renal, and peripheral vascular disease (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the enlargement of the left ventricle of the heart?

Left ventricular hypertrophy (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a predisposing factor for hypertension?

High fruit consumption (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a common clinical manifestation of severe hypertension?

Papilledema (C) Signup and view all the answers