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A 66-year-old client presents to the emergency department reporting severe headache and mild nausea for the past 6 hours. upon assessment, the client's bp is 210/120 mm hg. the client has a history of hypertension and takes 1.0 mg clonidine twice daily. which question is most important for the nurse to ask the client next?

Respuesta :

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The nurse must ask if the patient has taken his prescribed clonidine (Catapres).
The patient has been prescribed with clonidine in order to regulate his blood pressure. Clonidine is a medication which acts on the central nervous system, especially on the alpha-adrenergic receptors and reduces blood pressure. In this example, the patient has a history of hypertension and upon assessment, his blood pressure is at dangerously high levels. He could be suffering from a hypertensive crisis, which is a serious increase in the blood pressure and its symptoms include severe headaches, nausea and chest pain. Forgetting to take the blood pressure medication is one of the primary causes of a hypertensive crisis.

Answer:

"Have you taken your prescribed clonidine today?"

Explanation:

  • The most important question that the nurse should ask is whether the client has taken his prescribed medicine that is- clonidine.
  • The client needs to know that there are chances for hypertension to rebound if antihypertensive medications are suddenly stopped.
  • Further, a well-known side effect of clonidine is rebound or withdrawal hypertension which makes it more important for the nurse to ask the above-stated question.
  • It is thus, most important to ask whether the client has taken the prescribed hypertension medication as the client's BP is severely elevated.

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