A client's visit to the health care clinic reveals a blood pressure of 130/82. The client's blood pressure has been 138/88 at each of the last three clinic visits. The nurse recognizes that:

Question

1. The client should be educated on lifestyle modifications now to diminish the client's increased risk of developing stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension.
2. The client is at higher risk for developing stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension. The nurse will provide education on lifestyle modifications and anticipates the client will be started on medications at this visit.
3. The client is not at any higher risk for developing hypertension than anyone else and will therefore continue to be monitored periodically.
4. The client's blood pressure meets the criteria for stage 1 hypertension. In addition to educating the client on lifestyle modifications, the nurse anticipates no need to start medication unless the blood pressure continues to climb.

Answer 1

The client should be educated on lifestyle modifications now to diminish the client's increased risk of developing stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension.

Rationale: This client's blood pressure meets the criteria for prehypertension (systolic 120−139 or diastolic 80−89), according to the JNC 7 report, and has been elevated at multiple clinic visits. Prehypertension increases the client's risk of developing stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension. At the prehypertensive stage, the primary goal is lifestyle modification and health education. Medications are not usually part of the therapeutic plan until stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension.