NOW FOR AN ORIGINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT:Assignment – Concept Map-Hypertension

Module 04 Written Assignment – Concept Map-Hypertension Develop and Concept Map, using the form provided, on the following patient. Include Diagnostic data and medical orders that you expect to be ordered on the patient. T.J., a 30-year-old African American client, is in his last year of law school and is clerking for a prestigious law firm. He and his fiancé plan to marry as soon as he graduates. During the last week he has had four dizzy spells and a headache at the base of his skull upon awakening for the last 2 days. His father has a history of hypertension, so T.J. is aware that his symptoms may indicate high blood pressure. On his way home from work, T.J. stops by the clinic and asks the nurse to check his blood pressure. The nursing assessment yields the following data. Subjective data: States he has had four dizzy spells and has awakened with a headache in the occipital lobe the last two mornings. T.J. has 1 glass of wine at lunch and 2-3 beers in the evening to relax from the tension of school and work. Most of his meals are at fast-food establishments and have a high fat content. T.J. does not smoke. He used to jog 4 mornings a week but quit when he started clerking. He has had nocturia for the last 3 weeks. He is not taking any medication. T.J. states he is concerned about having hypertension because he does not want to take medication. Objective data: T 98.6°F(37°C), AP 78 beats/min, R 16 breaths/min, BP 142/92 mm Hg, Wt 190 lbs (optimum weight 160). No edema noted in hands, feet, or legs.

MAP, or mean arterial pressure, is defined as the average pressure in a patient’s arteries during one cardiac cycle. It is considered a better indicator of perfusion to vital organs than systolic blood pressure (SBP). True MAP can only be determined by invasive monitoring and complex calculations; however it can also be calculated using a formula of the SBP and the diastolic blood pressure (DBP).

To calculate a mean arterial pressure, double the diastolic blood pressure and add the sum to the systolic blood pressure. Then divide by 3. For example, if a patient’s blood pressure is 83 mm Hg/50 mm Hg, his MAP would be 61 mm Hg. Here are the steps for this calculation:

MAP = SBP + 2 (DBP)
3

MAP = 83 +2 (50)
3

MAP = 83 +100
3

MAP = 183
3

MAP = 61 mm HG

Another way to calculate the MAP is to first calculate the pulse pressure (subtract the DBP from the SBP) and divide that by 3, then add the DBP:

MAP = 1/3 (SBP – DBP) + DBP

MAP = 1/3 (83-50) + 50

MAP = 1/3 (33) + 50

MAP = 11 + 50

MAP = 61 mm Hg

There are several clinical situations in which it is especially important to monitor mean arterial pressure. In patients with sepsis, vasopressors are often titrated based on the MAP. In the guidelines of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, it is recommended that mean arterial pressure (MAP) be maintained ≥ 65 mm Hg. Also, in patients with head injury or stroke, treatment may be dependent on the patient’s MAP.