VASCULAR CASE STUDIES Flashcards
Increased pressure in vasculature still damaging blood vessels: higher risk for stroke, MI
Are high risk need be aware of it
Physical assessment/clinical manifestations
Psychosocial
Diagnostic assessment
HTN
Most people have no symptoms - Affects diagnosis of HTN and management; no symp: pat not as aggressive about taking care of it
Some patients experience headaches, facial flushing (redness), dizziness, fainting - extremely high BP
Blood pressure screenings essential
Physical assessment/clinical manifestations
Assess for stressors that can worsen hypertension
Psychosocial
No specific lab or x-rays are diagnostic of primary hypertension - imp to screen
Secondary hypertension can be screened with labs specific to the underlying disease: Ex. kidney disease
Diagnostic assessment
Primary (essential)
Secondary
Classifications and etiology of HTN
Most common type
Not caused by an existing health problem; can develop when a patient has any one or more of the risk factors:
Lot risk factors
US have significantly higher BP - stressors and healthcare disparities
High cholesterol: more plaque in vessels increases pressure
Vasoconstriction - any form of nicotine
Primary (essential)
Family history
African-American ethnicity
Hyperlipidemia
Smoking
Older than 60 or postmenopausal
Excessive sodium and caffeine intake
Overweight/obesity
Physical inactivity
Excessive alcohol intake
Low potassium, calcium, or magnesium intake
Excessive and continuous stress
Not caused by an existing health problem; can develop when a patient has any one or more of the risk factors:
Results from specific diseases and some drugs
Kidney disease is one the most common causes of secondary hypertension
Other disease process
Often kidney disease
Secondary
Find high BP take in
both arms also if low
Answer: Additional assessments should include medical history, family history of CV disease, heart and respiratory rate, and medications being taken.
Pulse
Further assessment into edema
Fam history
Smoking, caffeine: additional modifiable risk factors present/not
Meds
Rationale:
Assessing medical and family history provides needed information associated with etiologies and identification of risk factors.
Heart rate and respiratory rates provide information on the effectiveness of tissue perfusion associated with the high blood pressure.
Assessing medication history might lead to the identification of an adverse response.
What other assessments should the nurse perform?
Answer: Eating a low-sodium diet, limiting his caffeine intake, and quitting smoking. Ask him what a “wholesome meal” is
Eliminating smoking, caffeine, nutrition imp
Limit fast food: cholesterol and sodium
Explore diet habits
Doing right: walking, sleeping well, reading before bed (relaxation), glass (how big) wine not bad, working reasonable amount
Talk about all of this
Rationale:
Sodium increases blood volume, thus increasing blood pressure.
Caffeine and smoking has a vasopressor affect that could increase BP
Recommendations:
Dietary sodium restriction to less than 2 grams; Na restrictions at least less than 2 grams min
Reduce weight
Use alcohol sparingly
Exercise 3-4 days a week for 40 minutes
Use relaxation techniques to decrease stress
Avoid tobacco and caffeine
What lifestyle changes would help Mr. Flynn in managing his blood pressure?
Reason BP low is because taking med - no symp with HTN because not feel bad most time when not take med
Answer: Hypertension is a chronic illness. Without medication, Mr. Flynn’s hypertension will remain uncontrolled.
A plan should be developed with the patient and ways identified to encourage adherence to his medication regimen.
If the patient is taking beta blockers, suddenly stopping these drugs can result in angina, MI, or rebound hypertension
Med compliance really imp
Quit smoking and did other things might be able go off BP med but per pat; make sure stick on meds and adhering to that
Lot AE not tolerated explore with them on why not want take med; can switch it up because lot meds for them
Rationale:
Some patients may assume that once their blood pressure returns to normal levels, they no longer need treatment.
Side effects can also affect compliance with medication so that should be explored
Mr. Flynn returns to his provider’s office for a follow-up. He states that he has been taking his blood pressure every day and that most days it is within the normal range. Mr. Flynn asks the nurse if it is okay to stop his medication? How should the nurse respond to Mr. Flynn?
Reduce preload by decreasing volume and pressure in the left ventricle: This decrease preload (put into heart); less blood volume having less pressure; afterload - what heart pumping against
First-line drug of choice in older adults with HF and fluid overload
First drug for many pats; least side effects
Lot times can be Managed on small dose
Enhance renal excretion of sodium and water
Ex.
Monitor for:
Diuretics
Loop - Furosemide (Lasix)
Loop - Torsemide (Demadex)
Loop - Bumetanide (Bumex)
Loop diuretics: K wasting: lose K when take them; K imp electrolyte for heart muscle - will take K supplements; check K level; may need replace K level with it/before admin
Thiazide – Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ); Metolazone (Zaroxolyn)
Potassium-sparing – Spironolactone (Aldactone): K-sparing: K level elevated; hold onto K level
Ex. - Diuretics
Dehydration
Potassium levels (potassium wasting or potassium sparing): Check K level on both because at risk for dysrhythmias
Decreased BP
If creatinine level is greater than 1.8 mg/dL, notify health care provider before administering supplemental potassium - kidneys not functioning not have good effect; monitor renal func as well
I&O and weight imp thing to monitor
Monitor for: - Diuretics
ACE inhibitors; ARBs - arterially vasodilate; decreases afterload: decreases BP
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs)
Arterial vasodilators
Enalapril (Vasotec)
Fisinopril (Monopril)
First drug of choice
Not for African American because not respond as well
Causes dry cough - let know so expect it; orthostatic hypotension: increases K levels; reduces Na - Na substitute which made out of K - watch intake of K;
Monitor for:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
Orthostatic hypotension
Acute confusion,
Poor peripheral perfusion
Reduced urine output in patients with low systolic BP
Potassium and creatinine levels
Start slowly
angiodememia: lifethreating risk for ACE: swelling of airway and put on ARBs
Monitor for: - Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
Valsartan (Diovan)
Irbesartan (Avapro)
Losartan (Cozaar)
ACE inhibitors are the first-line drug of choice
May cause dry cough
Monitor for:
Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs)
Orthostatic hypotension
Acute confusion,
Poor peripheral perfusion
Reduced urine output in patients with low systolic BP
Potassium and creatinine levels
Start slowly
Monitor for: - Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs)
Blocks the sympathetic stimulation, increases contractility and decreases demand of heart And workload of heart
Monitor for:
Ex.
Beta blockers
BP and HR
Start slowly and don’t stop abruptly
Use cautiously with diabetic clients
Use cautiously with clients with asthma
**Studies still evaluating risk for diabetic and asthma
Monitor for: - Beta blockers
Carvedilol (Coreg)
Metoprolol succinate (Toprol XL)
Bisoprolol (Zebeta)
Ex. - Beta blockers
Risk for orthostatic hypotension; Rebound HTN
BP and HR
Can decrease glucose production in the liver: glycogen: risk for hypogycemia
Could mask signs of hypoglycemia
Keep eye on BG
Use cautiously with diabetic clients
Possible increased risk for bronchoconstriction
Use cautiously with clients with asthma
Answer: Atherosclerosis
Risk factors include:
Risk factors for HTN and atherosclerosis: buildup of plaque - plaques could move and travel; also fills up vessel; leading cause of CAD which leading cause of MI
What are all of these things risk factors for?
Low HDL
High LDL-C (low density lipoprotein)
Increased triglycerides
Genetic disposition
Diabetes mellitus
Obesity
Sedentary lifestyle
Smoking
Stress
African-American or Hispanic ethnicity - Hispanic males more disposed
Older adult
Risk factors include: atherosclerosis
Lab assessment:
Interventions:
Assessments and interventions
Check make sure always in normal range and imp to watch these
Elevated lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides)
Total serum cholesterol
LDL (bad) cholesterol
HDL (good) cholesterol
Triglycerides
Lab assessment:
Should be below 200 mg/dL
Total serum cholesterol
Increased levels indicate increased risk
Should be < 130
LDL (bad) cholesterol
Increased levels, lower your risk of CAD
Should be >50
HDL (good) cholesterol
Between 40 and 160 mg/dL for men and between 35 and 135 mg/dL for women
Triglycerides
Lifestyle modification such as smoking, weight management, exercise and nutrition
Adjusting diet, weight loss; decreasing cholesterol and increasing HDL
Drug therapy
Interventions:
Statins or other lipid-lowering agents
Statins and other lipid lowering; lot AE with statins probs if at risk for probs with liver avoid because hard on liver; do lifestyle modifications before go to statins
Drug therapy
Mr. Jones is prescribed atorvastatin (Lipitor) by the health care provider. The nurse instructs him to watch for and report which side effect?
A. Nausea and vomiting
B. Cough
C. Headaches
D. Muscle cramps
Answer: D
Indicates Ragodomyelosis: very concerning AE of statin, can cause sig kidney damage if unchecked; breakdown of muscles occludes renal arteries
Can have N&V but not has serious as muscle cramping
Headaches can have, mild AE
Statins (HMG-CoA)
Reduce cholesterol synthesis in the liver and increase clearance of LDL from the blood
Contraindicated in active liver disease or during pregnancy
Discontinued if the patient experiences muscle cramping or elevated liver enzyme levels
Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice - Monitor liver enzymes entire time; grapefruit juice interferes with enzymes
Statins (HMG-CoA)