A patient with low back pain is returning from an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan that revealed an aortic aneurysm. For which finding should the nurse immediately intervene?
a. Patient reports sudden severe flank pain.
b. Patient BP goes from 144/78 mm Hg to 152/80 mm Hg.
c. Patient reports a sense of abdominal fullness after eating.
d. Patient informs the nurse of a family history of hypertension.
ANS: A
Severe, sudden back, flank, or abdominal pain and a pulsating abdominal mass can indicate an aneurysm may be about to rupture. C. A sense of abdominal fullness is not associated with an abdominal aneurysm or impending rupture. B. The patient's blood pressure is stable with normal variability. D. Hypertension and heredity may play a role in the development of an abdominal aneurysm, but this is not the priority.
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