Antihypertensive medication

[mrsluckyaz]

I need to know the normal guidelines to use for BP when giving antihypertensive medications if the physician does not leave specific orders - I was taught to hold if sbp

[leslie :-D]

i've typically seen, hold for sbp

leslie

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

I normally see the parameters

[meandragonbrett]

It greatly depends on A) Other meds your patient is taking B)What is wrong with them C) What medication is it? (beta blocker, CCB, ARIIB, ACEI) D)Is this a PRN or scheduled?

I don't hold BP for SBP

[Jacobero]

I usually see for SBP

Alot depends on the person, and what else is going on in the clinical picture. If there are no parameters set by the MD, and I take the BP befoe giving and it's borderline, I'll call and ask for parameters, that way it's clear what the MD wants.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Also, it really depends on the dosage. If I'm giving a beta blocker to a CHF'er, I really want to give that med to help the heart function, so I might give it if the patient's SBP is only 100, if the med is Coreg and the dose is low, like 3.125 mg.

We can go lower because our patients are monitored and vitals are taken pretty frequently on our unit. I'd be more conservative in a LTC setting because you don't have the resources there to adjust like the hospital does.

Best to call the doc for parameters with cardiac meds, IMO, if you ever have a question.

[Jacobero]

Also, it really depends on the dosage. If I'm giving a beta blocker to a CHF'er, I really want to give that med to help the heart function, so I might give it if the patient's SBP is only 100, if the med is Coreg and the dose is low, like 3.125 mg.

We can go lower because our patients are monitored and vitals are taken pretty frequently on our unit. I'd be more conservative in a LTC setting because you don't have the resources there to adjust like the hospital does

See, that's what I've been saying on my unit since I got there!!!

When I'm working on the adult pulmonary unit, people are wickedly paranoid about giving anti-hypertensives when the BP is borderline (like

SBP 95-99 and asymptomatic!). It's just frustrating, and I wonder if everyone is understanding the pharmacology behind a medication like lopressor or coreg, esp in a post MI patient.

[peridotgirl]

can metoprolol be used also as an anti-anxiety agent? I read that beta-adrengeric agents are sometimes used to treat symptoms of anxiety pts. That is what my med-surg books says... I just wanna clarify. thank you. :twocents::):typing:nurse: