Question

The nurse is assessing a client suffering from stress and anxiety. The most common physiologic response to stress and anxiety is:

1. sedation.
2. diarrhea.
3. vertigo.
4. urticaria.

Answer 1

In response to stress and anxiety, the most common physiological response is likely to be gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, not sedation, vertigo, or urticaria.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most common physiologic response to stress and anxiety is not sedation, vertigo, or urticaria, but rather gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea. When individuals experience stress, the body has a coordinated set of physiological reactions. High levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is linked to a sense of well-being, are synthesized in neurons that innervate the smooth muscle cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. This can lead to an "upset stomach" or changes in bowel habits such as diarrhea due to increased movement of the gastrointestinal muscles.

A chronic gastrointestinal disease like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which is treated with serotonin, clearly shows the relationship between stress and gastrointestinal distress. Furthermore, symptoms such as nausea and agitation are commonly associated with stress and anxiety. Therefore, in the context of the nurse's assessment, the most likely common physiological response to stress and anxiety in a client would be diarrhea.