52 year old Caucasian male has a BP reading of 189 110 and

Last updated: 2/23/2023

52 year old Caucasian male has a BP reading of 189 110 and an LDL cholesterol reading of 200 mg dl The student provides teaching about Mr Thomas s blood pressure and about risk factors for hypertension BP recheck is 180 106 and teaching is provided about the need for follow up intervention At the clinic primary hypertension is diagnosed The nurse answers Mr Thomas s questions about this diagnosis and teaches him about his newly prescribed medications chlorothiazide and atenolol The nurse also emphasizes lifestyle modifications and responds when Mr Thomas talks about his inability to quit smoking and when he asks about long term consequences of uncontrolled hypertension Later at the clinic after an ultrasound shows the presence of a 3 cm Fusiform aneurysm on the abdominal aorta the nurse reinforces the need to control his BP and reviews Mr Thomas s limited progress toward making lifestyle modifications His BP is 148 90 Nifedipine is added to his prescriptions and the nurse provides related teaching Six months later Mr Thomas is in the ED after his wife attempted suicide He develops the sudden onset of severe low back pain Priority interventions are implemented A CT scan shows a dissecting abdominal aortic aneurysm requiring immediate surgery The nurse prepares Mr Thomas delegating tasks to the UAP as indicated Mr Thomas s children arrive Surgery is unsuccessful and the nurse assists the children in responding to their father s death and making needed arrangements Mrs Copyright 2018 Elsevier Inc All Rights Reserved HESI RN Case Studies ELSEVIER Assessment