Question

A 69-year-old female was involved in a motor vehicle crash. she is semiconscious with a blood pressure of 80/50 mm hg and a heart rate of 74 beats/min that is weak. her daughter, who was uninjured in the crash, tells you that her mother has a history of hypertension and takes beta-blockers. considering the fact that this patient is probably in shock, what is the most likely explanation for the absence of tachycardia?

Answer 1

The most likely explanation for the absence of tachycardia in this patient is shock in combination with beta-blocker medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely explanation for the absence of tachycardia in this patient is that she is in shock. Shock is a life-threatening condition where the circulatory system cannot maintain adequate blood flow to the tissues. In this case, the loss of too much blood from the motor vehicle crash has resulted in hypovolemic shock, causing a decrease in blood pressure and a compensatory increase in heart rate.

However, due to the patient's history of taking beta-blockers for hypertension, the medication may be preventing the heart rate from increasing as much as expected in response to shock. Beta-blockers block the effects of adrenaline and other stress hormones on the heart, resulting in a slower heart rate. As a result, despite being in shock, the patient's heart rate remains relatively normal.

Answer 2

from the information here, it clearly says she has hypertension and takes beta-blockers, so the explanation for the absence of tachycardia would result from her medication.