A 45-year-old mother of three children is at the doctor's office and her blood pressure 152/92 . This is the first time that she has ever shown an elevated reading. She is concerned that she has hypertension. The nurse's best response would be:
a. "A single reading may not mean anything. We will take it again at your next visit."
b. "It looks like you have high blood pressure now. We'll check it again in 3 months."
c. "Fortunately, hypertension isn't related to other diseases and is easily treated."
d. "You may have hypertension, but there is little else that can be done except medi-cines."
A
The diagnosis of hypertension in adults is made on the average of two or more readings taken at each of two or more visits after an initial screening. One blood pressure recording revealing a high SBP or DBP does not qualify as a diagnosis of hypertension. However, if you assess a high reading (for example, 150/90 mm Hg), encourage the patient to return for another checkup within 2 months. Hypertension is a known risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Obesity, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol intake, elevated blood cholesterol, and continued exposure to stress are also linked to hypertension. Controlling these factors may reduce blood pressure.
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