Hypertension Nursing Care Plans Diagnosis and InterventionsHypertension NCLEX Review and Nursing Care Plans Show
Blood pressure is the result of the assistance of blood flowing in the arteries and the amount of blood that the heart pumps. High blood pressure occurs when the arteries become narrower and/or the heart pumps more blood. Consistent high blood pressure levels result to hypertension. A person can have hypertension for months or even years without experiencing any signs and symptoms. Uncontrolled high blood pressure may cause complications such as heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. Despite the severity of its complications, high blood pressure is easy to detect. Simple blood pressure monitoring is helpful in the management of hypertension. Medications for hypertension are also well-researched and established. Signs and Symptoms of HypertensionHypertension may not be evident for a long time as the patient may lack or ignore signs and symptoms. The most common signs and symptoms as well as warning signs of hypertension include:
Causes of HypertensionHypertension can be divided into two types: primary or essential hypertension, and secondary hypertension. Each of these two kinds of high blood pressure has different causes.
Risk Factors
Complications of HypertensionUncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to many complications, which include:
Diagnostic Tests for HypertensionDiagnosing hypertension involves the use of a blood pressure machine with a measuring gauge. The healthcare provider will put an inflatable arm cuff around the patient’s arm and turn the machine on, or manually pump air into the cuff. The blood pressure reading is measured in millimeters of mercury or mmHg. There are two numbers in a blood pressure reading. The upper number is called systolic pressure, which represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. The lower number is called diastolic pressure, which represents the pressure in the cardiac arteries in between heart beats.
One high blood pressure reading is not enough to diagnose the patient with hypertension. At least two to three high blood pressure readings in different times are required for diagnosis. Blood pressure readings from both the left and the right arm are needed for comparison. Because the patient might have elevated blood pressure levels when seeing the doctor or being the clinic or hospital (white coat hypertension), it is recommended to teach the patient on how to do blood pressure monitoring at home. Treatment for HypertensionMedications. The primary treatment for hypertension is the use of anti-hypertensive medications. The category or type of drugs depend on your average blood pressure reading, underlying conditions, and complications.
Lifestyle ChangesMany cases of hypertension are due to bad habits and poor health management. Following a low salt diet (less than 2,300 mg per day) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet will help lower blood pressure levels. Improve physical activity, maintain a healthy weight, stop smoking, and limit alcohol intake. Stress management (such as deep breathing exercises) and home blood pressure monitoring are also important to incorporate in daily living. Hypertension Nursing Care Plan 1Decreased cardiac outputsecondary to increased vascular resistance as evidenced by high blood pressure level of 170/89, shortness of breath, fatigue and inability to do ADLs as normal Desired outcome: The patient will be able to maintain adequate cardiac output.
Hypertension Nursing Care Plan 2Nursing Diagnosis: Acute Pain related to Increased cerebral vascular pressure as evidenced by pain score of 8 out of 10, verbalization of severe headache, throbbing pain on the suboccipital region, blood pressure level of 170/90, nausea, and loss of appetite Desired Outcome: The patient will demonstrate relief of pain as evidenced by a pain score of 0 out of 10, stable vital signs, and gaining a better appetite.
Hypertension Nursing Care Plan 3Nursing Diagnosis: Deficient Knowledge related to new diagnosis of secondary hypertension as evidenced by patient’s verbalization of “I want to know more about my new diagnosis and care” Desired Outcome: At the end of the health teaching session, the patient will be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of hypertension and its management.
Hypertension Nursing Care Plan 4Nursing Diagnosis: Activity Intolerance related to sedentary lifestyle as evidenced by fatigue, generalized weakness, blood pressure level of 180/90, and shortness of breath upon exertion Desired Outcome: The patient will participate in necessary and desired activities and demonstrate increase in activity levels.
Hypertension Nursing Care Plan 5Nursing Diagnosis: Imbalanced Nutrition: More than Body Requirements related to excessive caloric intake in relation to metabolic need, as evidenced by a BMI of 31, increased triceps skinfold (more than 25 mm in women and 15 mm in women), and verbalization of dysfunctional eating patterns Desired Outcome: The patient will be able to reduce weight within his/her normal BMI range and will demonstrate healthy eating patterns and choices.
Hypertension Nursing Care Plan 6Decreased cardiac output secondary to increased vascular resistance as evidenced by high blood pressure level of 180/90, shortness of breath, fatigue, and pounding in the chest and neck Desired outcome: The patient will be able to maintain adequate cardiac output.
Hypertension Nursing Care Plan 7Nursing Diagnosis: Acute Pain related to Increased cerebral vascular pressure as evidenced by pain score of 10 out of 10, verbalization of severe headache, throbbing pain on the suboccipital region, blood pressure level of 180/90, loss of appetite, and severe nausea Desired Outcome: The patient will demonstrate relief of pain as evidenced by a pain score of 0 out of 10, stable vital signs, and gaining a better appetite.
With proper use of the nursing process, a patient can benefit from various nursing interventions to assess, monitor, and manage hypertension and promote client safety and wellbeing. Nursing ReferencesAckley, B. J., Ladwig, G. B., Makic, M. B., Martinez-Kratz, M. R., & Zanotti, M. (2020). Nursing diagnoses handbook: An evidence-based guide to planning care. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Buy on Amazon Gulanick, M., & Myers, J. L. (2022). Nursing care plans: Diagnoses, interventions, & outcomes. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Buy on Amazon Ignatavicius, D. D., Workman, M. L., Rebar, C. R., & Heimgartner, N. M. (2018). Medical-surgical nursing: Concepts for interprofessional collaborative care. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Buy on Amazon Silvestri, L. A. (2020). Saunders comprehensive review for the NCLEX-RN examination. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Buy on Amazon Disclaimer:Please follow your facilities guidelines, policies, and procedures. The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is intended to be nursing education and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. What is a potential nursing diagnosis for a patient taking antihypertensive medications?Nursing Diagnoses. Here are some of the nursing diagnoses that can be formulated in the use of this drug for therapy: Decreased cardiac output related to hypotension and vasodilating effect of the drug. Risk for injury related to cardiovascular and CNS adverse drug effects.
What nursing diagnoses are the top priority for clients with hypertension?Here are six nursing diagnoses for hypertension nursing care plans:. Risk for Decreased Cardiac Output.. Decreased Activity Tolerance.. Acute Pain.. Ineffective Coping.. Overweight.. Deficient Knowledge.. Other possible nursing care plans.. What is a nurse diagnosis for hypertension?Hypertension is high blood pressure. The guidelines were updated by the American College of Cardiology in 2017, and a blood pressure of less than 120/80 mmHg is now considered normal. Anything above this is considered elevated, and stage 1 hypertension is diagnosed at 130/80 mmHg.
What is the most priority nursing diagnosis?Any nursing diagnoses that directly relate to survival or a threat to the patient's mortality should be prioritized first. This may be related to the patient's access to air, water, or food, defined as the necessities of survival.
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