A patient's blood pressure is 90/72 mm Hg. What is the patient's ...

[kwoodring]

A patient's blood pressure is 90/72 mm Hg. What is the patient's pulse pressure?
 
  a. 40 mm Hg
  b. 25 mm Hg
  c. 18 mm Hg
  d. 12 mm Hg

Question 2

A nurse from the ICU receives report from the ED nurse on a patient that includes a diagnosis of syncope unknown etiology
 
  Orthostatic VS lying: 110/80 mm/Hg; sitting: 100/74 mm/Hg; standing: 92/40 mm/Hg. Based on this information, the nurse should monitor the patient's
 
  a. breathing.
  b. dietary intake.
  c. peripheral pulses.
  d. activity.

[wfdfwc23]

Answer to Question 1

C
Pulse pressure describes the difference between systolic and diastolic values. The normal pulse pressure is 40 mm Hg (i.e., the difference between an SBP of 120 mm Hg and a DBP of 80 mm Hg). A patient with a blood pressure of 90/72 mm Hg has a pulse pressure of 18 mm Hg.

Answer to Question 2

D
Postural (orthostatic) hypotension occurs when the systolic blood pressure drops by 10 to 20 mm Hg or the diastolic blood pressure drops by 5 mm Hg after a change from the supine posture to the upright posture. This is usually accompanied by dizziness, lightheadedness, or syncope. If a patient experiences these symptoms, it is important to complete a full set of postural vital signs before increasing the patient's activity level.

[kwoodring]

TYSM

[diana chang]

Excellent