HYPERTENSION: PRACTICE
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
Which action will the nurse in the hypertension clinic take to obtain an accurate baseline
blood pressure (BP) for a new patient?
a. Deflate the BP cuff at a rate of 5 to 10 mm Hg per second.
b. Have the patient sit in a chair with the feet flat on the floor.
c. Assist the patient to the supine position for BP measurements.
d. Obtain two BP readings in the dominant arm and average the results. - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅✅ -b. Have the patient sit in a chair with the feet flat on the floor.
The patient should be seated with the feet flat on the floor. The BP is obtained in both
arms, and the results of the two arms are not averaged. The patient does not need to be
in the supine position. The cuff should be deflated at 2 to 3 mm Hg per second.
The nurse obtains the following information from a patient newly diagnosed with
prehypertension. Which finding is *most* important to address with the patient?
a. Low dietary fiber intake
b. No regular physical exercise
c. Drinks a beer with dinner every night
d. Weight is 5 pounds above ideal weight - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -b. No
regular physical exercise
The recommendations for preventing hypertension include exercising aerobically for 30
minutes most days of the week. A weight that is 5 pounds over the ideal body weight is
not a risk factor for hypertension. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
diet is high in fiber, but increasing fiber alone will not prevent hypertension from
developing. The patient's alcohol intake is within guidelines and will not increase the
hypertension risk.
Which action should the nurse take when giving the initial dose of oral labetalol to a
patient with hypertension?
a. Encourage the use of hard candy to prevent dry mouth.
b. Teach the patient that headaches often occur with this drug.
,c. Instruct the patient to call for help if heart palpitations occur.
d. Ask the patient to request assistance before getting out of bed. - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅✅ -d. Ask the patient to request assistance before getting out of bed.
Labetalol decreases sympathetic nervous system activity by blocking both a and b
adrenergic receptors, leading to vasodilation and a decrease in heart rate, which can
cause severe orthostatic hypotension. Heart palpitations, dry mouth, dehydration, and
headaches are possible side effects of other antihypertensives.
After the nurse teaches the patient with stage 1 hypertension about diet modifications
that should be implemented, which diet choice indicates that the teaching has been
*most* effective?
a. The patient avoids eating nuts or nut butters.
b. The patient restricts intake of chicken and fish.
c. The patient drinks low-fat milk with each meal.
d. The patient has two cups of coffee in the morning. - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -
c. The patient drinks low-fat milk with each meal.
For the prevention of hypertension, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
(DASH) recommendations include increasing the intake of calcium-rich foods. Caffeine
restriction and decreased protein intake are not included in the recommendations. Nuts
are high in beneficial nutrients and 4 to 5 servings weekly are recommended in the
DASH diet.
Which blood pressure (BP) finding by the nurse indicates that no changes in therapy are
needed for a 48-yr-old patient with newly diagnosed hypertension?
a. 98/56 mm Hg
b. 128/76 mm Hg
c. 128/92 mm Hg
d. 142/78 mm Hg - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -b. 128/76 mm Hg
The 8th Joint National Committee's recommended goal for antihypertensive therapy for
a 30- to 59-yr-old patient with hypertension is a BP below 140/90 mm Hg. The BP of
98/56 mm Hg may indicate overtreatment of the hypertension and an increased risk for
adverse drug effects. The other two blood pressures indicate a need for modifications in
the patient's treatment.
Which information is *most* important for the nurse to include when teaching a patient
with newly diagnosed hypertension?
a. Most people are able to control BP through dietary changes.
b. Annual BP checks are needed to monitor treatment effectiveness.
c. Hypertension is usually asymptomatic until target organ damage occurs.
, d. Increasing physical activity alone controls blood pressure (BP) for most people. -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -c. Hypertension is usually asymptomatic until target
organ damage occurs.
Hypertension is usually asymptomatic until target organ damage has occurred. Lifestyle
changes (e.g., physical activity, dietary changes) are used to help manage BP, but
drugs are needed for most patients. Home BP monitoring should be taught to the
patient and findings checked by the health care provider frequently when starting
treatment for hypertension and then every 3 months when stable.
A patient has just been diagnosed with hypertension and has been started on captopril .
Which information is *most* important to include when teaching the patient about this
drug?
a. Include high-potassium foods such as bananas in the diet.
b. Increase fluid intake if dryness of the mouth is a problem.
c. Change position slowly to help prevent dizziness and falls.
d. Check blood pressure (BP) in both arms before taking the drug. - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅✅ -c. Change position slowly to help prevent dizziness and falls.
The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors frequently cause orthostatic
hypotension, and patients should be taught to change position slowly to allow the
vascular system time to compensate for the position change. Increasing fluid intake may
counteract the effect of the drug, and the patient is taught to use gum or hard candy to
relieve dry mouth. The BP should be taken in the nondominant arm by newly diagnosed
patients in the morning, before taking the drug, and in the evening. Because ACE
inhibitors cause potassium retention, increased intake of high-potassium foods is
inappropriate.
Propranolol (Inderal) is prescribed for a patient diagnosed with hypertension. The nurse
should consult with the health care provider before giving this drug when the patient
reveals a history of
a. daily alcohol use.
b. peptic ulcer disease.
c. reactive airway disease.
d. myocardial infarction (MI). - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -c. reactive airway
disease.
Nonselective b-blockers block b1- and b2-adrenergic receptors and can cause
bronchospasm, especially in patients with a history of asthma. b-Blockers will have no
effect on the patient's peptic ulcer disease or alcohol use. b-Blocker therapy is
recommended after MI.
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
Which action will the nurse in the hypertension clinic take to obtain an accurate baseline
blood pressure (BP) for a new patient?
a. Deflate the BP cuff at a rate of 5 to 10 mm Hg per second.
b. Have the patient sit in a chair with the feet flat on the floor.
c. Assist the patient to the supine position for BP measurements.
d. Obtain two BP readings in the dominant arm and average the results. - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅✅ -b. Have the patient sit in a chair with the feet flat on the floor.
The patient should be seated with the feet flat on the floor. The BP is obtained in both
arms, and the results of the two arms are not averaged. The patient does not need to be
in the supine position. The cuff should be deflated at 2 to 3 mm Hg per second.
The nurse obtains the following information from a patient newly diagnosed with
prehypertension. Which finding is *most* important to address with the patient?
a. Low dietary fiber intake
b. No regular physical exercise
c. Drinks a beer with dinner every night
d. Weight is 5 pounds above ideal weight - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -b. No
regular physical exercise
The recommendations for preventing hypertension include exercising aerobically for 30
minutes most days of the week. A weight that is 5 pounds over the ideal body weight is
not a risk factor for hypertension. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
diet is high in fiber, but increasing fiber alone will not prevent hypertension from
developing. The patient's alcohol intake is within guidelines and will not increase the
hypertension risk.
Which action should the nurse take when giving the initial dose of oral labetalol to a
patient with hypertension?
a. Encourage the use of hard candy to prevent dry mouth.
b. Teach the patient that headaches often occur with this drug.
,c. Instruct the patient to call for help if heart palpitations occur.
d. Ask the patient to request assistance before getting out of bed. - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅✅ -d. Ask the patient to request assistance before getting out of bed.
Labetalol decreases sympathetic nervous system activity by blocking both a and b
adrenergic receptors, leading to vasodilation and a decrease in heart rate, which can
cause severe orthostatic hypotension. Heart palpitations, dry mouth, dehydration, and
headaches are possible side effects of other antihypertensives.
After the nurse teaches the patient with stage 1 hypertension about diet modifications
that should be implemented, which diet choice indicates that the teaching has been
*most* effective?
a. The patient avoids eating nuts or nut butters.
b. The patient restricts intake of chicken and fish.
c. The patient drinks low-fat milk with each meal.
d. The patient has two cups of coffee in the morning. - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -
c. The patient drinks low-fat milk with each meal.
For the prevention of hypertension, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
(DASH) recommendations include increasing the intake of calcium-rich foods. Caffeine
restriction and decreased protein intake are not included in the recommendations. Nuts
are high in beneficial nutrients and 4 to 5 servings weekly are recommended in the
DASH diet.
Which blood pressure (BP) finding by the nurse indicates that no changes in therapy are
needed for a 48-yr-old patient with newly diagnosed hypertension?
a. 98/56 mm Hg
b. 128/76 mm Hg
c. 128/92 mm Hg
d. 142/78 mm Hg - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -b. 128/76 mm Hg
The 8th Joint National Committee's recommended goal for antihypertensive therapy for
a 30- to 59-yr-old patient with hypertension is a BP below 140/90 mm Hg. The BP of
98/56 mm Hg may indicate overtreatment of the hypertension and an increased risk for
adverse drug effects. The other two blood pressures indicate a need for modifications in
the patient's treatment.
Which information is *most* important for the nurse to include when teaching a patient
with newly diagnosed hypertension?
a. Most people are able to control BP through dietary changes.
b. Annual BP checks are needed to monitor treatment effectiveness.
c. Hypertension is usually asymptomatic until target organ damage occurs.
, d. Increasing physical activity alone controls blood pressure (BP) for most people. -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -c. Hypertension is usually asymptomatic until target
organ damage occurs.
Hypertension is usually asymptomatic until target organ damage has occurred. Lifestyle
changes (e.g., physical activity, dietary changes) are used to help manage BP, but
drugs are needed for most patients. Home BP monitoring should be taught to the
patient and findings checked by the health care provider frequently when starting
treatment for hypertension and then every 3 months when stable.
A patient has just been diagnosed with hypertension and has been started on captopril .
Which information is *most* important to include when teaching the patient about this
drug?
a. Include high-potassium foods such as bananas in the diet.
b. Increase fluid intake if dryness of the mouth is a problem.
c. Change position slowly to help prevent dizziness and falls.
d. Check blood pressure (BP) in both arms before taking the drug. - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅✅ -c. Change position slowly to help prevent dizziness and falls.
The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors frequently cause orthostatic
hypotension, and patients should be taught to change position slowly to allow the
vascular system time to compensate for the position change. Increasing fluid intake may
counteract the effect of the drug, and the patient is taught to use gum or hard candy to
relieve dry mouth. The BP should be taken in the nondominant arm by newly diagnosed
patients in the morning, before taking the drug, and in the evening. Because ACE
inhibitors cause potassium retention, increased intake of high-potassium foods is
inappropriate.
Propranolol (Inderal) is prescribed for a patient diagnosed with hypertension. The nurse
should consult with the health care provider before giving this drug when the patient
reveals a history of
a. daily alcohol use.
b. peptic ulcer disease.
c. reactive airway disease.
d. myocardial infarction (MI). - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅✅ -c. reactive airway
disease.
Nonselective b-blockers block b1- and b2-adrenergic receptors and can cause
bronchospasm, especially in patients with a history of asthma. b-Blockers will have no
effect on the patient's peptic ulcer disease or alcohol use. b-Blocker therapy is
recommended after MI.
