A nurse from the ICU receives report from the ED nurse on a patient that includes a diagnosis of syncope unknown etiology
Orthostatic VS lying: 110/80 mm/Hg; sitting: 100/74 mm/Hg; standing: 92/40 mm/Hg. Based on this information, the nurse should monitor the patient's
a. breathing.
b. dietary intake.
c. peripheral pulses.
d. activity.
D
Postural (orthostatic) hypotension occurs when the systolic blood pressure drops by 10 to 20 mm Hg or the diastolic blood pressure drops by 5 mm Hg after a change from the supine posture to the upright posture. This is usually accompanied by dizziness, lightheadedness, or syncope. If a patient experiences these symptoms, it is important to complete a full set of postural vital signs before increasing the patient's activity level.
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