During an assessment of an older adult, the nurse should expect ...

[naturalchemist]

During an assessment of an older adult, the nurse should expect to notice which finding as a normal physiologic change associated with the aging process?
 
  a. Hormonal changes causing vasodilation and a resulting drop in blood pressure
  b. Progressive atrophy of the intramuscular calf veins, causing venous insufficiency
  c. Peripheral blood vessels growing more rigid with age, producing a rise in systolic blood pressure
  d. Narrowing of the inferior vena cava, causing low blood flow and increases in venous pressure resulting in varicosities

Question 2

A patient complains of leg pain that wakes him at night. He states that he has been having problems with his legs. He has pain in his legs when they are elevated that disappears when he dangles them.
 
  He recently noticed a sore on the inner aspect of the right ankle. On the basis of this health history information, the nurse interprets that the patient is most likely experiencing:
  a.
  Pain related to lymphatic abnormalities.
  b.
  Problems related to arterial insufficiency.
  c.
  Problems related to venous insufficiency.
  d.
  Pain related to musculoskeletal abnormalities.

[perkiness]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Peripheral blood vessels grow more rigid with age, resulting in a rise in systolic blood pressure. Aging produces progressive enlargement of the intramuscular calf veins, not atrophy. The other options are not correct.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Night leg pain is common in aging adults and may indicate the ischemic rest pain of peripheral vascular disease. Alterations in arterial circulation cause pain that becomes worse with leg elevation and is eased when the extremity is dangled.