Practice Question
A 62-year-old client who has just arrived in the emergency department complaining of a sudden-onset severe headache and nausea has a BP of 240/118 mm Hg. The client gives a history of taking clonidine (Catapres) and hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL) for 10 years for hypertension. The most appropriate question by the nurse at this time is
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Have you been taking the Catapres and HydroDIURIL lately?
Rationale:
🔶Abrupt clonidine (Catapres) nonadherence can cause rebound hypertension due to unopposed sympathetic outflow, producing sudden, severe BP spikes and neurologic symptoms (e.g., severe headache, nausea).
🔶Verifying recent medication adherence is the highest-yield, immediate question because it identifies a reversible precipitant of crisis.
🔶Long-term thiazide diuretic (HCTZ) underuse can also contribute by increasing volume and peripheral resistance.
🔶Prompt identification of missed doses informs urgent management (e.g., restarting clonidine carefully, IV agents as indicated) and prevents complications.
🔶Focusing first on probable causes expedites stabilization while other factors are assessed.
Want to practice more questions like this?
This question is from ☑️ ADRN 210 Med-Surg 4 Test 2 which contains 71 questions.
More Questions from This Exam
The nurse encourages the client with essential hypertension that a first-line therapeutic approach to lower blood pressure is (select all that apply):
Answer Choices:
A client with hypertension asks the nurse why lifestyle changes are needed when the client has no symptoms from high BP. The response by the nurse that is most likely to improve client compliance with therapy is that hypertension
Answer Choices:
During the assessment of a client with newly diagnosed stage 1 hypertension, the nurse finds that the client uses a lot of salt on foods and is 30 pounds overweight. The client states, "I thought high blood pressure was caused by stress, but I do not feel stressed at all." An appropriate nursing diagnosis for this client is
Answer Choices:
A client with no history of health problems and a BP of 210/142 is admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of hypertensive crisis. The clinical manifestation that will require the most immediate action by the nurse is that
Answer Choices:
A client is diagnosed with hypertension, and first-line drug therapy with a Beta-adrenergic blocking agent is planned. After reviewing the client’s history, the nurse consults with the health care provider about the use of this drug upon finding a history of
Answer Choices:
Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: General Exams
- Domain: Medical-surgical📚
- Answer Choices: 4