Question

A patient is admitted to the hospital with multiple trauma and extensive blood loss. The nurse assesses vital signs to be BP 80/50 mm Hg, heart rate 135 beats/min, respirations 36 breaths/min, cardiac output (CO) of 2 L/min, systemic vascular resistance of 3000 dynes/sec/cm-5, and a hematocrit of 20%. The nurse anticipates administration of which the following therapies or medications?

Answer 1

The patient is likely in hypovolemic shock due to multiple trauma and extensive blood loss. Treatment would include administration of intravenous fluids, possibly vasoactive medications like dopamine, epinephrine, or norepinephrine, and potentially blood transfusions to address the low hematocrit.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient presented with multiple trauma, extensive blood loss, and vital signs including a low blood pressure (BP 80/50 mm Hg), elevated heart rate (135 beats/min), increased respirations (36 breaths/min), decreased cardiac output (CO 2 L/min), high systemic vascular resistance (3000 dynes/sec/cm-5), and a low hematocrit (20%), is likely experiencing hypovolemic shock. In response to this condition, the nurse would anticipate the administration of therapies aimed at quickly restoring blood volume and improving cardiac output. This typically involves the administration of intravenous fluids to increase blood volume and blood pressure, and may also include the use of vasoactive medications such as dopamine, epinephrine, or norepinephrine which work to increase cardiac output and vasoconstriction. Furthermore, due to the patient's severe anemia as indicated by the low hematocrit level, blood transfusions might also be necessary to restore adequate red blood cell volume.