In: Nursing
Your patient is a 32-year-old female who is 72 hours postpartum who arrives at the ER with two consecutive elevated blood pressures during self-monitoring at home. Based on this information:
1-What are your primary concerns for this patient and what assessments and interventions would be associated with your concerns and why?
2-What do you anticipate the patient’s home medications prior to admission might be and why?
3-What medications do you anticipate the healthcare provider would prescribe while the patient is in the hospital and why?
4-What medications do you anticipate the healthcare provider prescribing for the patient’s discharge and why?
1 . Postpartum eclampsia is a primary concern for this patient. It usually develops within the first 72 hours of postnatal period.
Assessment :
Includes checking vital signs frequently especially blood pressure.
Assess for edema of the extremities, puffiness of the eyes and face.
Check for saturation levels and assess for breath sounds.
Record intake and output.
Assess for pain in abdomen , nausea and vomiting.
These are the assessment and non medical interventions done for the patient.
2 . If the patient had pre eclampsia then her medications would consist of medications that lower blood pressure such as captopril, enalapril.
3 . Magnesium sulfate is given to prevent seizures. It is given intravenously for a period of 24 hours .
Antihypertensives such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor like captopril, enalapril is given.
4 . Medications such as antihypertensives is usually prescribed and blood pressure levels are monitored.
If there is fluid retention, diuretics are given.
These medications given should be safe for a lactating mothers.
Thank you.