A hospitalized client is to receive nadolol. Which finding should prompt the nurse to hold the medication and notify the provider?

Prepare for the Hurst Readiness Exam 2 with engaging quizzes, flashcards, and detailed explanations. Master your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

A hospitalized client is to receive nadolol. Which finding should prompt the nurse to hold the medication and notify the provider?

Nadolol is a nonselective beta-blocker that slows heart rate and reduces conduction through the heart’s electrical system. When the pulse is too slow, cardiac output can drop, leading to decreased tissue perfusion and potential hypotension. A heart rate of 56/min indicates clinically significant bradycardia, which is a clear reason to hold the medication and notify the provider for guidance on dose adjustment or alternative therapy. The other findings don’t point to an immediate need to stop nadolol: a blood pressure of 102/68 is borderline but not necessarily dangerous by itself, glucose is normal, and urine output is reduced but not directly caused by the beta-blocker. The key safety cue here is the bradycardia.

Nadolol is a nonselective beta-blocker that slows heart rate and reduces conduction through the heart’s electrical system. When the pulse is too slow, cardiac output can drop, leading to decreased tissue perfusion and potential hypotension. A heart rate of 56/min indicates clinically significant bradycardia, which is a clear reason to hold the medication and notify the provider for guidance on dose adjustment or alternative therapy.

The other findings don’t point to an immediate need to stop nadolol: a blood pressure of 102/68 is borderline but not necessarily dangerous by itself, glucose is normal, and urine output is reduced but not directly caused by the beta-blocker. The key safety cue here is the bradycardia.

More practice questions