Orthostatic hypotension is a concern for individuals with SCI. Define it. Then, describe how the OTA should treat it.
Added by Derek B.
Step 1
This can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, and in some cases, falls. It is particularly common in individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) due to impaired autonomic regulation of blood pressure. Show more…
Show all steps
Your feedback will help us improve your experience
Donna Densmore and 62 other Nursing educators are ready to help you.
Ask a new question
Labs
Want to see this concept in action?
Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.
Key Concepts
Recommended Videos
Case 11 Responses to Changes in Posture Case Joslin Chambers is a 27-year-old assistant manager at a discount department store. One morning, she awakened from a deep sleep and realized that she was more than an hour late for work. She panicked, momentarily regretting her late-night socializing, and then jumped out of bed. Briefly, she felt light-headed and thought she might faint. She had the sensation that her heart was "racing." Had she not been so late for work, she would have returned to bed. As she walked toward the bathroom, she noticed that her light-headedness dissipated. The rest of her day was uneventful. QUESTIONS When Joslin moved rapidly from a supine (lying) position to a standing position, there was a brief, initial decrease in arterial pressure that caused her light-headedness. Describe the sequence of events that produced this transient fall in arterial pressure. Joslin's light-headedness was transient because a reflex was initiated that rapidly restored arterial pressure to normal. Describe the specific effects of this reflex on heart rate, myocardial contractility, total peripheral resistance (TPR), and capacitance of the veins. What receptors are involved in each of these responses? How does each component of the reflex (e.g., the effect on heart rate) help to restore arterial pressure? (Hint: It may help to write the equation that relates arterial pressure, cardiac output, and TPR.) In addition to the reflex correction of blood pressure, the fact that Joslin walked to the bathroom helped return her arterial pressure to normal. How did walking help?
Donna D.
Bob was out in the woods cutting down trees for firewood. As a tree was falling, it twisted around and a lower limb hit Bob in the head. Immediately, he was bleeding profusely. Being alone, he had no choice but to make it back to his house in order to get help. He applied pressure to the wound but he was unable to completely stop the flow of blood. It was 90 minutes before he was able to make it to a hospital and by then he was pale, cold and light-headed but the bleeding had stopped. Upon admission his blood pressure and heart rate were 90/60 mmHg and 105 bpm, respectively, when lying down. When upright, his blood pressure and heart rate were 75/45 mmHg and 135 bpm, respectively. As an immediate treatment, i.v. saline was administered. 1. Why was blood pressure lower in upright (standing)? 2. Why was his heart rate higher when upright? 3. Why was his skin pale and cold? 4. Why was he feeling light-headed? 5. During early hypovolemic shock, is it more beneficial for the body to regulate blood volume, blood pressure, or cardiac output?
Sri K.
Post-lab ASSESSMENT 18E Ankle-Brachial Index 1. Kathy is a 56-year-old woman who is slightly overweight and smokes. She has been having pain in her lower extremities. Her doctor decided to perform an ABI test. He determined her brachial systolic pressure to be 137 and her ankle systolic pressure to be 123. What is Kathy's ABI value? 2. Should Kathy and her doctor be concerned about peripheral artery disease? Explain your answer. 3. Excess LDL cholesterol can accumulate within a blood vessel and form plaque deposits, which cause atherosclerosis. In which tunic of an artery does plaque form? What does atherosclerosis do to blood pressure? Why does it have this effect? 4. Orthostatic hypotension can cause a feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness if one stands up too quickly. This can cause fainting or syncope due to the decreased blood flow to the brain. Why can standing quickly cause this to occur? (Hint: Think about venous return, heart rate, and blood pressure.) 5. Would you prescribe a beta-blocker (which blocks the beta-receptor in cardiac muscle from binding norepinephrine) for an individual with orthostatic hypotension? Why or why not?
Jenny W.
Transcript
18,000,000+
Students on Numerade
Trusted by students at 8,000+ universities
Watch the video solution with this free unlock.
EMAIL
PASSWORD
