STUVIA 2024/2025
Chapter 39: Antihypertensives
A patient is diagnosed with borderline hypertension and states a desire to make lifestyle changes to
avoid needing to take medication. The nurse will recommend which changes?
a. Changing from weight bearing exercise to yoga
b. Decreased fluid intake and increased potassium intake
c. Stress reduction and increased protein intake
d. Weight reduction and decreased sodium intake - ✔✔ANS: D
Weight loss decreases the stress on the heart. Decreasing salt intake decreases vascular volume.
Changing to yoga from weight-bearing exercise, limiting fluids, and increasing potassium are not
indicated. Stress reduction is recommended, but increasing protein is not.
A patient has an average blood pressure of 135/85 mm Hg based on the average of three separate
measurements. The nurse understands that this patient should be treated with which of the following?
a. a beta blocker.
b. a diuretic and a beta blocker.
c. a diuretic.
d. lifestyle changes - ✔✔ANS: D
%
Prehypertension is defined as a systolic pressure of 120 to 139 and a diastolic pressure between 80
and 89. Drug therapy is recommended if the blood pressure is in the hypertensive range.
Prehypertension is generally treated first with lifestyle changes.
A 65-year-old patient has a blood pressure of 155/95 mm Hg. The nurse understands that with
treatment, the goal for this patient's blood pressure is
a. 120/80 mm Hg
b. 130/89 mm Hg
c. 140/90 mm Hg
d. 150/90 mm Hg - ✔✔ANS: D
According to the Joint National Committee (JNC) 8, a blood pressure of 140/90 is the goal for the
population younger than 60 years, with a target of 150/90 for those above 60. A blood pressure less
than 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal.
The nurse is caring for an African-American patient who has been taking a beta blocker to treat
hypertension for several weeks with only slight improvement in blood pressure. The nurse will contact
the provider to discuss which of the following?
a. adding a diuretic medication.
b. changing to an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.
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, STUVIA 2024/2025
c. decreasing the beta blocker dose.
d. doubling the beta blocker dose. - ✔✔ANS: A
African Americans do not respond well to beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, but do tend to respond to
diuretics and calcium channel blockers. Changing to an ACE inhibitor or altering the beta blocker
dose is not indicated. Hypertension in African-American patients can be controlled by combining beta
blockers with diuretics.
The nurse is preparing to care for a Native American patient who has hypertension. The nurse
understands that which antihypertensive medication would be most effective in this patient?
a. Acebutolol (Sectral)
b. Captopril (Capoten)
c. Carteolol HCl (Cartrol)
d. Metoprolol (Lopressor) - ✔✔ANS: B
Captopril is an ACE inhibitor. Native American patients have a reduced response to treatment with
beta blockers. Acebutolol, carteolol, and metoprolol are all beta blockers.
The nurse is caring for an 80-year-old patient who has just begun taking a thiazide diuretic to treat
hypertension. What is an important aspect of care for this patient?
%
a. Encouraging increased fluid intake
b. Increasing activity and exercise
c. Initiating a fall risk protocol
d. Providing a low potassium diet - ✔✔ANS: C
Older patients experience a higher risk of orthostatic hypotension when taking antihypertensive
medications. Fall risk also increases with a need for increased trips to the bathroom. A fall risk
protocol should be implemented. Increasing fluids and activity and limiting potassium are not
indicated.
The nurse is performing an assessment on a patient who will begin taking propranolol (Inderal) to
treat hypertension. The nurse learns that the patient has a history of asthma and diabetes. The nurse
will take which action?
a. Administer the medication and monitor the patient's serum glucose.
b. Contact the provider to discuss another type of antihypertensive medication.
c. Request an order for renal function tests prior to administering this drug.
d. Teach the patient about the risks of combining herbal medications with this drug. - ✔✔ANS: B
Patients with chronic lung disease are at risk for bronchospasm with beta blockers, especially those
like propranolol, which are nonselective. Beta blockers, with the exception of carvedilol, also
stuvia
Chapter 39: Antihypertensives
A patient is diagnosed with borderline hypertension and states a desire to make lifestyle changes to
avoid needing to take medication. The nurse will recommend which changes?
a. Changing from weight bearing exercise to yoga
b. Decreased fluid intake and increased potassium intake
c. Stress reduction and increased protein intake
d. Weight reduction and decreased sodium intake - ✔✔ANS: D
Weight loss decreases the stress on the heart. Decreasing salt intake decreases vascular volume.
Changing to yoga from weight-bearing exercise, limiting fluids, and increasing potassium are not
indicated. Stress reduction is recommended, but increasing protein is not.
A patient has an average blood pressure of 135/85 mm Hg based on the average of three separate
measurements. The nurse understands that this patient should be treated with which of the following?
a. a beta blocker.
b. a diuretic and a beta blocker.
c. a diuretic.
d. lifestyle changes - ✔✔ANS: D
%
Prehypertension is defined as a systolic pressure of 120 to 139 and a diastolic pressure between 80
and 89. Drug therapy is recommended if the blood pressure is in the hypertensive range.
Prehypertension is generally treated first with lifestyle changes.
A 65-year-old patient has a blood pressure of 155/95 mm Hg. The nurse understands that with
treatment, the goal for this patient's blood pressure is
a. 120/80 mm Hg
b. 130/89 mm Hg
c. 140/90 mm Hg
d. 150/90 mm Hg - ✔✔ANS: D
According to the Joint National Committee (JNC) 8, a blood pressure of 140/90 is the goal for the
population younger than 60 years, with a target of 150/90 for those above 60. A blood pressure less
than 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal.
The nurse is caring for an African-American patient who has been taking a beta blocker to treat
hypertension for several weeks with only slight improvement in blood pressure. The nurse will contact
the provider to discuss which of the following?
a. adding a diuretic medication.
b. changing to an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.
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, STUVIA 2024/2025
c. decreasing the beta blocker dose.
d. doubling the beta blocker dose. - ✔✔ANS: A
African Americans do not respond well to beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, but do tend to respond to
diuretics and calcium channel blockers. Changing to an ACE inhibitor or altering the beta blocker
dose is not indicated. Hypertension in African-American patients can be controlled by combining beta
blockers with diuretics.
The nurse is preparing to care for a Native American patient who has hypertension. The nurse
understands that which antihypertensive medication would be most effective in this patient?
a. Acebutolol (Sectral)
b. Captopril (Capoten)
c. Carteolol HCl (Cartrol)
d. Metoprolol (Lopressor) - ✔✔ANS: B
Captopril is an ACE inhibitor. Native American patients have a reduced response to treatment with
beta blockers. Acebutolol, carteolol, and metoprolol are all beta blockers.
The nurse is caring for an 80-year-old patient who has just begun taking a thiazide diuretic to treat
hypertension. What is an important aspect of care for this patient?
%
a. Encouraging increased fluid intake
b. Increasing activity and exercise
c. Initiating a fall risk protocol
d. Providing a low potassium diet - ✔✔ANS: C
Older patients experience a higher risk of orthostatic hypotension when taking antihypertensive
medications. Fall risk also increases with a need for increased trips to the bathroom. A fall risk
protocol should be implemented. Increasing fluids and activity and limiting potassium are not
indicated.
The nurse is performing an assessment on a patient who will begin taking propranolol (Inderal) to
treat hypertension. The nurse learns that the patient has a history of asthma and diabetes. The nurse
will take which action?
a. Administer the medication and monitor the patient's serum glucose.
b. Contact the provider to discuss another type of antihypertensive medication.
c. Request an order for renal function tests prior to administering this drug.
d. Teach the patient about the risks of combining herbal medications with this drug. - ✔✔ANS: B
Patients with chronic lung disease are at risk for bronchospasm with beta blockers, especially those
like propranolol, which are nonselective. Beta blockers, with the exception of carvedilol, also
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