Question

Case study You are working on a medical-surgical unit and have been assigned to care for Mr. T. He has multiple health problems, including postural hypotension. You are mentoring a new nurse and assign the new nurse to care for Mr. T. The new nurse would like more information on postural hypotension and how the heart works before going in to care for Mr. T. The following are the new nurse’s questions

: 1. What is postural hypotension, and how does it occur? Answer: Rationale:

2. What comprises the circulatory system? Answer: Rationale:

3. I read about Starling's law of the heart. Can you explain this law? Answer: Rational

Answer 1

1) Hypotension refers to low blood pressure resulting from less amount of pressure exerted by the blood in the walls of the arteries. Hypotension is just an opposite to hypertension. The most common cause of hypotension is excessive bleeding secondary to hemorrhage, injury, excessive fluid loss, electrolyte deprivation, cardiac diseases that leads to decreased cardiac output, anemia on which there is less oxygen carrying capacity by the hemoglobin, profuse vomiting and diarrhea.

Postural hypotension refers to sudden decrease in the blood pressure when standing up from sitting or lying. It is also refers to orthostatic hypotension. The more common causes are dehydration, fluid volume deficit secondary to vomiting or diarrhea, anemia, cardiac valvular disorders, neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease, myasthenia gravis. Endocrine disorders like Addison's disease, hypothyroidism also contributes to postural hypotension. Secondary to intake of antihypertensives like beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, will make a sudden drop in blood pressure.

2) Circulatory system is an vital component of the human body. It is comprises of cardiovascular system and lymphatic system. Cardiovascular systems includes structures like heart, lungs and blood vessels. Heart is a muscular organs involves in pumping the blood through out the systemic and vascular circulation. Heart has four chambers and each chamber is seperated by valves. Valves maintains uni directional flow. Deoxygenated blood is purified by the lungs and enters the systemic circulation through aorta. There are two pairs of lungs that involves in exchange of gases. Lymphatic system involves in formation of lymph and to maintain lymphatic circulation.

3) Frank starlings law states the relationship between the length of myocardium and it's power of contractility. The greater the myocardial stretch the greater will be ventricular contraction.