A patient complains of severe abdominal pain. When assessing the vital signs, the nurse would not be surprised to find what assessment? a. An increase in the pulse rate b. A decrease in body temperature c. A decrease in blood pressure d. An increase in respiratory depth
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is a. An increase in the pulse rate.
Explanation:
Abdominal pain, especially when it is severe, can trigger a stress response in the body. This response is often part of the sympathetic nervous system’s “fight or flight” mechanism, which helps the body respond to perceived threats or pain. The body activates this system to prepare for action, resulting in several physiological changes.
- Increase in Pulse Rate:
- Sympathetic Nervous System Activation: Severe abdominal pain can lead to an increase in the body’s sympathetic nervous system activity. The sympathetic nervous system releases adrenaline (epinephrine), which increases heart rate (tachycardia). The pulse rate may increase as a response to the stress and pain the patient is experiencing.
- Pain and Stress Response: When pain is intense, the body may release hormones like cortisol, which can further stimulate the cardiovascular system. This can result in an elevated heart rate as the body attempts to manage the pain and maintain oxygen supply to tissues.
- Other Considerations:
- Decrease in Blood Pressure (c): In some cases, severe pain can lead to vasodilation and a drop in blood pressure (hypotension), but this typically occurs when pain is accompanied by shock or when the pain is causing significant blood loss or fluid shifts (as in cases of perforated organs or internal bleeding). It is less common for an isolated case of abdominal pain to cause hypotension unless there are complications.
- Decrease in Body Temperature (b): Typically, abdominal pain, especially if due to infection (e.g., appendicitis), would cause a rise in body temperature (fever) rather than a decrease.
- Increase in Respiratory Depth (d): While severe pain can cause an increase in respiratory rate, it does not typically increase respiratory depth. Patients may breathe faster (tachypnea) but usually do not take deep breaths unless they are trying to overcome pain through shallow breathing.
Thus, increased pulse rate is the most commonly observed response in this scenario.