What monitoring should be prioritized when giving hydralazine?

What monitoring should be prioritized when giving hydralazine?

• A. Fetal heart rate
• B. Diastolic blood pressure
• C. Urine output
• D. Calcium levels

Answer: (B)

When administering hydralazine, prioritizing the monitoring of diastolic blood pressure is essential because hydralazine is a potent vasodilator commonly used to manage hypertension, particularly in pregnancy-associated conditions like preeclampsia. Effective management of blood pressure is crucial to reduce the risks of complications for both the mother and the fetus. Monitoring diastolic blood pressure helps ensure that the treatment is effectively lowering blood pressure without causing excessive hypotension, which could lead to reduced placental perfusion and fetal distress. Other monitoring aspects are also important but do not take precedence in this specific context. For example, while fetal heart rate monitoring is crucial for assessing fetal well-being, it is not the primary concern immediately following the administration of antihypertensive medication like hydralazine. Similarly, monitoring urine output is important in assessing renal function and overall fluid balance, particularly in a patient with hypertension or preeclampsia, but it does not provide immediate feedback on the effectiveness of the hydralazine in controlling blood pressure. Monitoring calcium levels is generally not relevant in the context of hydralazine administration and hypertension management.

When administering hydralazine, prioritizing the monitoring of diastolic blood pressure is essential because hydralazine is a potent vasodilator commonly used to manage hypertension, particularly in pregnancy-associated conditions like preeclampsia. Effective management of blood pressure is crucial to reduce the risks of complications for both the mother and the fetus. Monitoring diastolic blood pressure helps ensure that the treatment is effectively lowering blood pressure without causing excessive hypotension, which could lead to reduced placental perfusion and fetal distress.

Other monitoring aspects are also important but do not take precedence in this specific context. For example, while fetal heart rate monitoring is crucial for assessing fetal well-being, it is not the primary concern immediately following the administration of antihypertensive medication like hydralazine. Similarly, monitoring urine output is important in assessing renal function and overall fluid balance, particularly in a patient with hypertension or preeclampsia, but it does not provide immediate feedback on the effectiveness of the hydralazine in controlling blood pressure. Monitoring calcium levels is generally not relevant in the context of hydralazine administration and hypertension management.