Case Study #0001: Orthostatic Hypotension

The Case Study Series of JQ Nursing Review presents a real life patient situation to encourage you to become an active learner as you read. This will also develop your critical thinking skills. Case Study Questions will challenge you to use your understanding of new concepts and help you integrate your knowledge to solve a clinical problem.

Case Study #0001: 

Orthostatic Hypotension

Scenario
As a nurse, you are assigned at the Emergency Room of the hospital to provide rapid assessment and intervention to various clients.

 In your shift a 72-year old woman was accompanied by her son presented herself at the emergency room. You asked what brings her to the hospital and you've found out that for 3 days, she have had  fever and chills and stayed mostly in bed. On rising to go to the bathroom, she felt dizzy, fainted, and fell to the floor. She regained consciousness immediately and called her son.

Upon further assessment and evaluation by the health team, a diagnosis of Orthostatic Hypotension was made.

Clinical Questions
a. Describe the normal response to a decrease in blood pressure on standing.
b. What happened to the client's heart rate just before she fainted? Why did the client faint?
c. How did the client's fainting and falling to the floor assist in establishing homeostasis (assuming she was not injured)?