Question

A child is admitted to the pediatric unit with a diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta (COA). The health care provider prescribes that the child's blood pressure be taken every 4 hours in the legs and arms. The nurse would expect the blood pressure in the child's legs and arms to be:

a) Higher in the legs than in the arms
b) Equal in the legs and arms
c) Lower in the legs than in the arms
d) Unpredictable, depending on the time of day

Answer 1

In a child with coarctation of the aorta, the nurse would expect the blood pressure to be lower in the legs than in the arms due to the constriction in the aorta affecting blood flow.

Step-by-step explanation:

When assessing a child with coarctation of the aorta (COA), it is common to observe different blood pressure readings between the arms and the legs. Coarctation of the aorta is a condition where there is a constriction in the aorta, the major artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the body. Due to this constriction, blood flow beyond the narrowing is reduced. This can lead to higher blood pressure in the upper body (arms) and lower blood pressure in the lower body (legs). The nurse would therefore expect the blood pressure to be:

• Lower in the legs than in the arms

The difference in blood pressure is an important diagnostic clue in COA and reflects the hemodynamic changes caused by the obstruction in blood flow.