Hypertension
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
Cardiacmedium priorityneeds review
Hypertension
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Primary vascular resistance or secondary causes such as kidney/endocrine disease.
- Chronic pressure damages vessels, heart, kidneys, brain, and retina.
Medications
| Class | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| ACE inhibitors / ARBs | Common BP and renal/cardiac protective therapy. |
| Diuretics | Reduces volume contribution to blood pressure. |
| Calcium channel blockers | Relaxes vessels. |
Nursing actions
- Confirm accurate BP technique and trend readings.
- Assess for target organ symptoms: chest pain, neuro change, dyspnea, kidney concerns.
- Teach adherence and lifestyle measures without abruptly stopping meds.
Complications
- Stroke
- MI
- Heart failure
- Kidney disease
- Retinopathy
NCLEX cues
- Often silent.
- Hypertensive emergency means severe BP plus organ damage symptoms.
Memory hooks
- High pressure quietly damages pipes and pumps.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Trend assessment findings and ordered diagnostics; verify exact values with school source material.
Review notes
- Session-derived study seed. Verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy before relying on details.