A nurse is administering nifedipine to a client with gestational hypertension as prescribed by the provider.

Which of the following actions would the nurse take to ensure safe administration of this medication?

The correct answer is choice A. Check blood pressure before and after giving the medication.Nifedipine is an antihypertensive medication that is used to treat gestational hypertension.It lowers blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels and reducing the workload of the heart.Checking blood pressure before and after giving the medication helps to monitor the effectiveness and safety of the treatment.

Choice B is wrong because grapefruit juice can interact with nifedipine and increase its blood levels, which can cause excessive lowering of blood pressure or other side effects.Grapefruit juice should be avoided when taking nifedipine.

Choice C is wrong because nifedipine does not affect the pulse rate significantly.Holding the medication if pulse rate is below 60 beats per minute is more appropriate for beta-blockers, such as labetalol, which are another class of antihypertensive medications that can slow down the heart rate.

Choice D is wrong because nifedipine does not cause hypoglycemia.Monitoring blood glucose levels for signs of hypoglycemia is more relevant for medications that lower blood sugar, such as insulin or oral antidiabetic agents.

Normal ranges for blood pressure and pulse rate during pregnancy are 110-140/60-90 mmHg and 60-100 beats per minute, respectively.Normal range for blood glucose level during pregnancy is 70-110 mg/dL.

The correct answer is choice D. All of the above.All of these factors increase a woman’s risk for developing gestational hypertension.

Choice A is wrong because nulliparity (having no previous pregnancies) is a risk factor for gestational hypertension.Rates in nulliparous women range from 6% to 17% while rates in multiparous women range from 2% to 4%.

Choice B is wrong because age younger than 20 years is a risk factor for gestational hypertension.Pregnant women more than 40 years or less than 18 years are at risk of gestational hypertension.

Choice C is wrong because history of chronic renal disease is a risk factor for gestational hypertension.High blood pressure can also cause problems during and after delivery, such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, stroke, and placental abruption.

Gestational hypertension is blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90 that begins during the latter half of pregnancy (typically after 20 weeks) and goes away after childbirth.It can put the mother and her baby at risk for problems during the pregnancy, such as preterm delivery and low birth weight.