Decongestants should be used with caution in patients with which diagnoses?

Select All that Apply.)

A. Hypotension: Norepinephrine is administered to treat hypotension, so monitoring for hypotension is not typically a concern while the patient is receiving this medication. In fact, hypotension is often the reason for administering norepinephrine in the first place.

B. Liver failure: Monitoring for signs of liver failure may be important in patients receiving certain medications, but it is not a specific consideration when administering norepinephrine. Norepinephrine primarily affects blood pressure regulation and does not typically have direct effects on liver function.

C. Bradycardia: While norepinephrine can increase blood pressure by constricting blood vessels, it may also cause reflex bradycardia (a decrease in heart rate) as a compensatory response. However, the primary concern with norepinephrine administration is hypertension, not bradycardia.

D. Hypertension
Norepinephrine (Levophed) is a vasopressor medication commonly used to treat hypotension and shock. It works by constricting blood vessels, which increases blood pressure. Therefore, when administering norepinephrine, the nurse should monitor the patient for hypertension, as the medication's intended effect is to raise blood pressure.

A) "Ventilation is the process of moving air into and out of the lungs."
Ventilation refers to the mechanical process of breathing, which involves the movement of air into and out of the lungs. During ventilation, air containing oxygen is drawn into the lungs through inhalation (inspiration), and carbon dioxide-rich air is expelled from the lungs through exhalation (expiration). This process facilitates the exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the lungs and the external environment.

B) "Ventilation is taking a breath in."
This statement is too simplistic and does not fully encompass the process of ventilation, which includes both inhalation and exhalation. Ventilation involves not only taking a breath in but also the subsequent process of exhaling.

C) "Ventilation is the blood flow through the lung."
This statement describes perfusion, which is the process of blood flow through the lung's blood vessels, rather than ventilation, which involves air movement in and out of the lungs. Ventilation and perfusion are closely related but distinct processes.

D) "Ventilation is the process by which gases are exchanged."
While ventilation facilitates gas exchange, this statement does not fully capture the mechanical aspect of moving air into and out of the lungs, which is the primary function of ventilation. Gas exchange occurs in the alveoli of the lungs, where oxygen diffuses into the bloodstream, and carbon dioxide diffuses out of the bloodstream, but ventilation refers specifically to the movement of air.