A client recently diagnosed with hypertension asks the nurse, "What did it mean when the doctor told me I have peripheral resistance?" Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?

Question

1. "The friction that the blood encounters in the arteries is called peripheral resistance."
2. "The resistance in the veins of your arms and legs is called peripheral resistance."
3. "It is the resistance on the heart by the pulmonary artery."
4. "I will ask the health care provider to come back and explain it to you."

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Peripheral resistance is defined as the friction that the blood encounters in the arteries.
Rationale 2: Peripheral resistance is defined as the friction that the blood encounters in the arteries.
Rationale 3: The resistance exerted on the heart by the pulmonary artery is known as pulmonary vascular resistance.
Rationale 4: The question can be answered correctly by the nurse. There is no need to ask the health care provider to return.
Global Rationale: Peripheral resistance is defined as the friction that the blood encounters in the arteries. The resistance exerted on the heart by the pulmonary artery is known as pulmonary vascular resistance. The question can be answered correctly by the nurse. There is no need to ask the health care provider to return.