Question

Patient is diagnosed with Hypertension and treating with medication. Currently she is taking 100 mg/day atenolol and 12.5 mg/day hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), What is a common side effect of many blood pressure medications to advise patient about and what instructions should you give patient to manage this side effect? Outline topics to include in a teaching plan for Ms.C

Answer 1

Hypertension :

Hypertension is also called as high blood pressure ,it is a longterm medical condition .the blood pressure in the arteries is abnormally elevated such as more than 120/80 mmHg.

Types : primary hypertension

Secondary hypertension .

Common side effect with the blood pressure medicine :

• Hypotension is the common side effect with the high blood pressure medicine because if the patient takes high dose of BP medication it will change the blood pressure in the arteries it can lead to dizziness ,fainting and some times fatal also .
• First dose phenomenon : So we need to start the BP medication with low dose and simultaneously we can increase the dose according to patient condition .

Instructions to the patients :

• Advice the patient to take some salt to compensate with hypotension .salt contain sodium so it will increase the blood pressure .
• Instruct the patient to eat the diet high in salt .
• Advice the client drink lot of non alcoholic fluids .
• Educate the client to limit alcoholic beverages
• Encourage the client to drink more fluids during hot weather and while in sick with viral illness such as cold or flue .
• Control of dehydration may be help ful.
• If the client is in severe hypotension such as 80/40 ,as a health care providers we need to start ionotrops to increase client BP ( ionotrops such as dopamine ,dobutamine etc .)
• Administration of .iv fluids such as O.9% normal saline may be helpful to compensate low bp .

Other common side effects with BP medicine are :

• Cough .
• Angioedema.
• Proteinuria
• Taste alterations .
• Teratogenic effects in case of pregnancy .
• Neutropenia .
• Rashes .
• Itching .
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea.
• Vomitings .
• Diarrhea .