A patient with hypertension who has just started taking atenolol (Tenormin) returns to the health clinic after 2 weeks for a follow-up visit. The blood pressure(BP) is unchanged from the previous visit. Which action should the nurse take first?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Because nonadherence with antihypertensive therapy is common, the nurse's initial action should be to determine whether the patient is taking the atenolol as prescribed. The other actions also may be implemented, but these would be done after assessing patient adherence with the prescribed therapy.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Hypertensive emergencies are acute, life-threatening BP elevations that require prompt treatment in an intensive care setting because of the serious target organ damage that may occur. Blood pressures are extremely elevated in both urgency and emergencies, but there is no evidence of target organ damage in hypertensive urgency. Extremely close hemodynamic monitoring of the patient's BP is required in both situations. The medications of choice in hypertensive emergencies are those with an immediate effect, such as IV vasodilators. Oral doses of fast-acting agents, such as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or alpha-agonists, are recommended for the treatment of hypertensive urgencies.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: JNC 7 defines stage 2 hypertension as a reading 160/100 mm Hg.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: CSF contains very low levels of cholesterol relative to plasma due to the blood-brain barrier's selective permeability.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The abdominal viscera receive approximately 30% of cardiac output.