Hypertension often causes no symptoms for years while it damages organs such as the kidneys.
Correct Answer
True
True. High blood pressure is often silent, so many clients feel well while organ damage progresses, sometimes to end-stage renal disease. Regular blood pressure checks are the only reliable way to detect it.
Category: Hypertension Basics
Question 2
Telmisartan belongs to the ACE inhibitor class.
Correct Answer
False
False. Telmisartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), as its -sartan ending shows; it blocks angiotensin II type 1 receptors rather than the converting enzyme. ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril and enalapril end in -pril.
Category: ACE Inhibitors and ARBs
Question 3
Smoking raises blood pressure and heart rate by increasing sympathetic activity.
Correct Answer
True
True. Nicotine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, raising blood pressure, heart rate and contractility. Stopping smoking is part of nonpharmacologic hypertension management.
Category: Hypertension Basics
Question 4
Primary hypertension does not occur in children.
Correct Answer
False
False. Primary hypertension can develop in children and adolescents, often linked to obesity, low physical activity and diet. Checking blood pressure in children supports early detection and healthy family habits.
Category: Hypertension Basics
Question 5
Microvascular angina is caused by disease of the heart's small coronary blood vessels.
Correct Answer
True
True. Microvascular angina comes from coronary microvascular disease and causes frequent episodes of chest pain. It differs from variant angina, which is caused by spasm of a coronary artery.
Category: Angina
Question 6
Combining an ACE inhibitor with a potassium-sparing diuretic lowers the risk of hyperkalemia.
Correct Answer
False
False. Both drugs cause the body to retain potassium, so together they raise the risk of hyperkalemia. Serum potassium is monitored, and potassium salt substitutes are avoided.
Category: ACE Inhibitors and ARBs
Question 7
Valsartan is used to treat heart failure as well as hypertension.
Correct Answer
True
True. Valsartan, an ARB, blocks angiotensin II type 1 receptors and is indicated for both hypertension and heart failure. ARBs are also effective in chronic kidney disease.
Category: ACE Inhibitors and ARBs
Question 8
Beta blockers increase the force of contraction of the heart muscle.
Correct Answer
False
False. Beta blockers decrease myocardial contractility, heart rate and AV conduction, which lowers cardiac workload and blood pressure. Their negative effect on contractility is why they are started cautiously in heart failure.
Category: Beta Blockers
Question 9
Hydrochlorothiazide should not be combined with dofetilide because the combination raises the risk of torsade de pointes.
Correct Answer
True
True. Hydrochlorothiazide raises dofetilide levels and causes potassium and magnesium loss, both of which add to QT prolongation, so the combination is contraindicated. The nurse checks every antidysrhythmic client's list for potassium-depleting diuretics.
Category: Diuretics
Question 10
Calcium channel blockers lower blood pressure by constricting peripheral arteries.
Correct Answer
False
False. Calcium channel blockers keep calcium out of vascular smooth muscle, which relaxes and dilates arteries and lowers blood pressure.
Category: Calcium Channel Blockers
Question 11
Abruptly stopping a calcium channel blocker can cause chest pain.
Correct Answer
True
True. Stopping a calcium channel blocker suddenly can bring on chest pain, so clients are taught not to stop the drug on their own and to talk with the provider before any change.
Category: Calcium Channel Blockers
Question 12
Thiazide diuretics increase sodium reabsorption in the distal tubule.
Correct Answer
False
False. Thiazides inhibit sodium and chloride reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule, so more sodium and water are excreted and blood pressure falls. Potassium is lost as well.
Category: Diuretics
Question 13
Potassium-sparing diuretics usually make potassium supplements unnecessary.
Correct Answer
True
True. Potassium-sparing diuretics such as spironolactone retain potassium, so supplements are usually not needed and may cause hyperkalemia. They are used cautiously in renal impairment.
Category: Diuretics
Question 14
Potassium-sparing diuretics act mainly in the loop of Henle.
Correct Answer
False
False. Potassium-sparing diuretics act in the late distal tubule and collecting duct, where aldosterone works. Loop diuretics are the class that acts in the loop of Henle.
Category: Diuretics
Question 15
Nitrate vasodilation can trigger reflex tachycardia.
Correct Answer
True
True. When nitrates lower blood pressure, baroreceptors respond by speeding the heart rate. Reflex tachycardia, headache, flushing and dizziness are common nitrate effects.
Category: Nitrates
Question 16
Nitroprusside is given orally to treat a hypertensive emergency.
Correct Answer
False
False. Nitroprusside is given only by IV infusion. It can lower blood pressure precipitously, so it is titrated with continuous blood pressure monitoring.
Category: Nitrates
Question 17
Older adults taking nitrates are at higher risk of postural hypotension and should rise slowly.
Correct Answer
True
True. Nitrate vasodilation can cause blood pressure to fall on standing, and older adults are more vulnerable to this and to falls. Rising slowly from lying or sitting gives the circulation time to adjust.
Category: Nitrates
Question 18
Drinking alcohol reduces the blood pressure-lowering effect of nitroglycerin.
Correct Answer
False
False. Alcohol also dilates blood vessels, so it adds to the blood pressure-lowering effect of nitroglycerin and increases the risk of hypotension and fainting.
Category: Nitrates
True. Regular aerobic activity is a core lifestyle measure for hypertension. A client who cannot exercise often is encouraged to do what they can, since some activity is better than none.
Category: Hypertension Basics
Question 20
Home blood pressure monitoring tends to reduce adherence to antihypertensive therapy.
Correct Answer
False
False. Home monitoring improves awareness and blood pressure control and supports adherence to both medications and lifestyle changes.
Category: Hypertension Basics