The nurse is helping another nurse to take a blood pressure ...

[ENagel]

The nurse is helping another nurse to take a blood pressure reading on a patient's thigh. Which action is correct regarding thigh pressure?
 
  a. Either the popliteal or femoral vessels should be auscultated to obtain a thigh pressure.
  b. The best position to measure thigh pressure is the supine position with the knee slightly bent.
  c. If the blood pressure in the arm is high in an adolescent, then it should be compared with the thigh pressure.
  d. The thigh pressure is lower than the pressure in the arm, which is attributable to the distance away from the heart and the size of the popliteal vessels.

Question 2

A 70-year-old man has a blood pressure of 150/90 mm Hg in a lying position, 130/80 mm Hg in a sitting position, and 100/60 mm Hg in a standing position. How should the nurse evaluate these findings?
 
  a. These readings are a normal response and attributable to changes in the patient's position.
  b. The change in blood pressure readings is called orthostatic hypotension.
  c. The blood pressure reading in the lying position is within normal limits.
  d. The change in blood pressure readings is considered within normal limits for the patient's age.

[elizabethrperez]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
When blood pressure measured at the arm is excessively high, particularly in adolescents and young adults, it is compared with thigh pressure to check for coarctation of the aorta. The popliteal artery is auscultated for the reading. Generally, thigh pressure is higher than that of the arm; however, if coarctation of the artery is present, then arm pressures are higher than thigh pressures.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Orthostatic hypotension is a drop in systolic pressure of more than 20 mm Hg, which occurs with a quick change to a standing position. Aging people have the greatest risk of this problem.

[ENagel]

Excellent

[okolip]

TYSM