NURS 251 Pharmacology Module 3 (Portage Learning) | Complete Practice Questions & Problem Set with Verified Solutions | Latest Exam Prep 2026

NURS 251 x




Pharmacology Module 3 COMPLETE +
x x x x x x




Problem set on the last pages 2025 verified
x x x x x x x x




x solution Portage Learning xx x




THIS EXAM INCLUDES: x x




• Complete NURS 251 Pharmacology Module 3 review
xx x x x x x x x




• Practice questions with verified solutions
xx x x x x x




• Complete problem set from the last pages
xx x x x x x x x




• Dosage calculation practice
xx x x x




• Exam-style multiple-choice questions
xx x x x




• Comprehensive module review
xx x x x




• Updated 2026 study material
xx x x x x




• Instant digital download
xx x x

, NURS 251 Pharmacology Module 3 complete with x x x x x x x




problem set (last pages) Portage Learningx x x x x x




Module 3 x




3.1 : Introduction to Cardiology
x x x




Taking a Blood Pressure x x x


Blood pressure is the pressure exerted against the walls of blood vessels as blood circulates through the body. Blood
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


pressure is measured using an instrument called a sphygmomanometer, perhaps more commonly known as the blood
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


pressure cuff. The pressures associated are measured in units of millimeters of mercury (mm/Hg). The health care
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


provider inflates a blood pressure cuff in order to cut off the blood flow from the brachial artery. As they release the
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


pressure in the cuff, they are listening with a stethoscope, for the first sound, called the Korotkoff sound, meaning there is
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


no longer enough pressure to keep all the blood from flowing. The Korotkoff sound corresponds to a numerical gauge on
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


the sphygmomanometer and is called the systolic value (top number) of the patient’s blood pressure. The provider
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


continues to let air out of the cuff and eventually the sounds disappear, representing that the brachial artery is now
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


completely open. When this occurs, the numerical value on the sphygmomanometer is known as the diastolic value
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


(bottom number) in a patient’s blood pressure.
x x x x x x x




Hypertension is defined as the persistent systolic blood pressure of greater than 150mm/Hg and/or a diastolic blood
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


pressure greater than 90mm/Hg in patients 60 years of age and older. For patients younger than 60 or those with kidney
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


disease or diabetes, it is defined as a systolic reading greater than 140mm/Hg and diastolic greater than 90mmHg.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


Hypertension is often an asymptomatic disease and is also considered the most common disease state worldwide. Table
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


3.1 below breaks down different classifications of hypertension.
x x x x x x x




Table 3.1 Classification of Hypertension
x x x x




Classification Blood Pressure (mm/Hg) x x


Normotensive <120/80
Prehypertensive 120-139/80-89
Hypertensive >140/90
Stage 1 x 140-159/90-99
Stage 2 x >160/100


Essential hypertension, also known as primary hypertension, is when the cause of the increased blood pressure is
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


unknown.
x




Secondary hypertension is when a patient’s elevated blood pressure is caused by another disease.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x




Orthostatic hypotension, which is when a patient experiences a sudden drop in blood pressure when they change
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


positions (i.e. when going from a seated position to standing).
x x x x x x x x x x




Physiologic Factors that Determine Blood Pressure x x x x x


Blood Pressure is determined by cardiac output, the amount of blood ejected from the heart’s left ventricle multiplied by
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


the Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR), the resistance to blood flow.
x x x x x x x x x x




Cardiac output is determined by two factors: heart rate (beats per minute) and stroke volume (volume of blood pumped
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


per minute).
x x




SVR is determined by the diameter of the blood vessel as well as the musculature nature of the blood vessel.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

, An increase in any of the above factors: heart rate, stroke volume or SVR will result in a rise in blood pressure.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x




There are also several factors commonly associated with high blood pressure even though they alone do not cause high
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x


blood pressure. Associated factors of blood pressure include: sodium intake, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x