A nurse is caring for a client who has severe preeclampsia and is receiving hydralazine IV bolus for blood pressure management.

Which of the following adverse effects should the nurse monitor for? (Select all that apply.)

The correct answer is choice B, D and E. These are signs and symptoms of preeclampsia, a serious complication of gestational hypertension that can affect the mother and the baby.Preeclampsia is marked by high blood pressure and protein in urine or other signs of organ damage.

Choice A is wrong because swelling of the face, hands or feet is a common symptom of pregnancy and does not necessarily indicate preeclampsia.However, sudden or severe swelling can be a warning sign and should be checked by a healthcare provider.

Choice C is wrong because severe headache is a symptom of preeclampsia, not gestational hypertension.Gestational hypertension is high blood pressure that develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy and does not have protein in urine or other signs of organ damage.

Some normal ranges for blood pressure during pregnancy are:

• Systolic (top number): less than 140 mm Hg

• Diastolic (bottom number): less than 90 mm Hg

Some normal ranges for protein in urine during pregnancy are:

• Less than 300 mg per 24 hours

• Less than 0.3 g per liter

Methyldopa is a drug that lowers blood pressure by reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

One of the possible side effects of methyldopa is hypotension, which means abnormally low blood pressure.Hypotension can cause dizziness, fainting, and shock.

Choice A) Bradycardia is wrong because methyldopa does not affect the heart rate directly.Bradycardia means a slow heart rate, which can be caused by other drugs or conditions.

Choice C) Hyperkalemia is wrong because methyldopa does not affect the potassium levels in the blood.Hyperkalemia means high potassium levels, which can be caused by kidney problems or other drugs.

Choice D) Hyperglycemia is wrong because methyldopa does not affect the glucose levels in the blood.Hyperglycemia means high glucose levels, which can be caused by diabetes or other conditions.

Normal ranges for blood pressure are 90/60 mmHg to 120/80 mmHg, for heart rate are 60 to 100 beats per minute, for potassium are 3.5 to 5.0 mmol/L, and for glucose are 70 to 100 mg/dL.