A patient who takes a diuretic and a ?-blocker to control blood pressure is scheduled for breast reconstruction surgery. Which patient information is most important to communicate to the health care provider before surgery?
a. Hematocrit 36%
b. Blood pressure 144/82
c. Pulse rate 58 beats/minute
d. Serum potassium 3.2 mEq/L
ANS: D
The low potassium level may increase the risk for intraoperative complications such as dysrhythmias. Slightly elevated blood pressure is common before surgery because of anxiety. The lower heart rate would be expected in a patient taking a ?-blocker. The hematocrit is in the low normal range but does not require any intervention before surgery.
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