In a patient with a normal temperature and pulse but low blood pressure, which clinical condition should be considered first?
Hypovolemia
A patient with a normal pulse rate and temperature but low blood pressure most often has reduced circulating volume — i.e. hypovolaemia — as the first condition to consider, especially before compensatory tachycardia or fever has set in.
Febrile illness would raise temperature, arrhythmia would affect pulse, and hypertension by definition produces high — not low — blood pressure.
Hence, Hypovolemia.
Similar Questions
Which nursing intervention is most appropriate when caring for a patient experiencing an anaphylactic reaction?
A patient has just returned to the ward after abdominal surgery. Which action should the nurse take first to evaluate the effectiveness of respiratory interventions in the immediate postoperative period?
A nurse is monitoring a patient with a colostomy. Which observation requires immediate attention?
Which solution is commonly used for fluid replacement in burn patients?
When caring for a patient with hypocalcemia, which symptom should the nurse closely observe?
A post operative patient is receiving dextrose 5% and 0.45 normal saline at 160 ml/hour. The nurse notices puffiness, weight gain of 2 kg and hypotension with complaints of muscle cramps and confusion. The serum sodium level is 126 mEq/L. Which of the following is the most likely cause of these findings?
A patient with a peptic ulcer is prescribed a proton pump inhibitor and advised to avoid NSAIDs. Which rationale best explains this combined approach?
A nurse encounters four patients after a mass casualty event. Who should be given the highest triage priority?
A patient arrives with severe burns. After ensuring a patent airway, what is the next step in the emergency management?
During a morning assessment, a nurse notes that a patient has cool, clammy skin, a weak pulse, and decreased urine output. What is the most appropriate nursing action based on these findings?
Important Questions from Medical-Surgical Nursing
Which nursing intervention is most appropriate when caring for a patient experiencing an anaphylactic reaction?
A patient has just returned to the ward after abdominal surgery. Which action should the nurse take first to evaluate the effectiveness of respiratory interventions in the immediate postoperative period?
A nurse is monitoring a patient with a colostomy. Which observation requires immediate attention?
Which solution is commonly used for fluid replacement in burn patients?
When caring for a patient with hypocalcemia, which symptom should the nurse closely observe?
