Final answer:
A decrease in blood pressure primarily causes a decreased cardiac output in a hospitalized patient. This reduction in cardiac output can occur due to changes in heart rate, stroke volume, or both. Compensatory mechanisms may attempt to restore cardiac output, but the initial effect remains a decrease.
Step-by-step explanation:
Effects of Decreased Blood Pressure on Cardiac Output:
When a hospitalized client experiences a decrease in blood pressure, the primary effect on his or her heart will typically be a decreased cardiac output (B). Cardiac output is the volume of blood the heart pumps per minute, and it is determined by heart rate and stroke volume. A decrease in blood pressure suggests that there may be a decrease in stroke volume, heart rate, or both, leading to less blood being pumped through the heart to the body. Moreover, when the heart rate goes above 160 bpm in a healthy young adult, cardiac output may actually decrease despite the higher rate due to a reduced ventricular filling time and potentially less effective heart contractions.
In response to a drop in blood pressure, there can be compensatory mechanisms to maintain perfusion such as an elevated heart rate to try to increase cardiac output. These responses are governed by baroreceptors which sense the change in pressure and can activate the sympathetic nervous system. However, the initial and primary effect of a decreased blood pressure would likely be a decrease in cardiac output unless compensatory mechanisms succeed in offsetting the reduction in blood pressure.