Final answer:
The first cause a nurse should explore when a patient's blood pressure does not consistently respond to hypertension medication is whether the patient is adhering to the treatment plan. Other factors like drug interactions and lifestyle should also be considered following this initial assessment.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient's blood pressure is not consistently responsive to prescribed medications for hypertension, the first factor to investigate is typically whether the patient is adhering to the prescribed therapy. Non-adherence to medication regimens is a common issue, and it can result in inconsistent blood pressure readings.
A patient might not be following the therapy for a variety of reasons, including forgetting doses, experiencing side effects, misunderstanding the instructions, or having financial difficulties affording the medication. It's also worth considering potential drug interactions, which may impact the effectiveness of hypertension medications. Assessing lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity, is also necessary as these can influence blood pressure levels.
Other factors like progressive target organ damage and the use of recreational drugs are important to consider, but generally, these are explored after ensuring that adherence and drug interactions have been adequately addressed.