Question

The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old sickle-cell client in an acute care setting. A high priority for this client's plan of care is pain relief. The nurse understands that untreated acute pain can lead to which physiological effects?

Option 1:
Increased blood pressure.

Option 2:
Decreased heart rate.

Option 3:
Improved oxygen saturation.

Option 4:
Increased risk of vaso-occlusive crisis.

Answer 1

Untreated acute pain in sickle-cell anemia can lead to increased blood pressure and a higher risk of vaso-occlusive crisis due to the blockage of blood vessels by sickled cells, which is particularly dangerous as it may lead to severe tissue damage.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse understands that untreated acute pain in a sickle-cell anemia client may lead to a variety of physiological effects. Unmanaged acute pain can result in increased blood pressure as the body attempts to cope with the stress of the pain. It does not typically lead to decreased heart rate or improved oxygen saturation due to the nature of sickle-cell anemia, where red blood cells become deformed and cannot carry oxygen efficiently. Most critically, uncontrolled pain can prompt increased physiological stress and inflammatory responses that may raise the risk of vaso-occlusive crisis, a severe complication of sickle-cell anemia where the sickled cells block blood vessels, restricting blood flow and causing further pain and tissue damage. Thus, among the options provided, Option 4: Increased risk of vaso-occlusive crisis, is the high-priority concern linked to untreated acute pain in this scenario.