A nurse is admitting a client with hypothermia. Which signs will the nurse expect to assess?

A nurse is admitting a client with hypothermia. Which signs will the nurse expect to assess?

• A. Increased heart rate and fever
• B. Decreased heart rate and decreased blood pressure
• C. Shivering and elevated blood pressure
• D. Increased respiratory rate and confusion

Answer: (B)

In a client with hypothermia, one of the hallmark physiological responses is a decreased heart rate, known as bradycardia, as the body attempts to conserve heat and reduce metabolic demand. Additionally, hypothermia can lead to decreased blood pressure as the body struggles to maintain normal cardiovascular function in response to low temperatures. These responses indicate the body's adaptation to cold exposure and reflect the effects of hypothermia on cardiovascular stability. Other signs such as shivering or increased heart rate typically occur in mild cases of hypothermia as the body tries to generate heat; however, in more severe cases, shivering may cease altogether. Fever would not be expected in hypothermia, as fever is related to an elevated body temperature, which is not consistent with this condition. Elevated blood pressure is also not consistent with profound hypothermia, where blood vessels may constrict initially but can lead to decreased perfusion if the situation worsens. Hence, the combination of decreased heart rate and decreased blood pressure aligns with the physiological changes seen in hypothermia, making it the expected assessment finding.

In a client with hypothermia, one of the hallmark physiological responses is a decreased heart rate, known as bradycardia, as the body attempts to conserve heat and reduce metabolic demand. Additionally, hypothermia can lead to decreased blood pressure as the body struggles to maintain normal cardiovascular function in response to low temperatures. These responses indicate the body's adaptation to cold exposure and reflect the effects of hypothermia on cardiovascular stability.

Other signs such as shivering or increased heart rate typically occur in mild cases of hypothermia as the body tries to generate heat; however, in more severe cases, shivering may cease altogether. Fever would not be expected in hypothermia, as fever is related to an elevated body temperature, which is not consistent with this condition. Elevated blood pressure is also not consistent with profound hypothermia, where blood vessels may constrict initially but can lead to decreased perfusion if the situation worsens. Hence, the combination of decreased heart rate and decreased blood pressure aligns with the physiological changes seen in hypothermia, making it the expected assessment finding.