A nurse in a long-term care facility notes that there has been an increase in falls on one unit and that many of the falls are occurring immediately following mealtime. The nurse recommends that the nursing home conduct a trial of six smaller meals instead of the three traditional meals. The nurse makes this recommendation on the understanding that:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Postprandial hypotension occurs after ingestion of a carbohydrate meal and may be related to the release of a vasodilatory peptide. Modifications such as increased water intake before eating or substituting six smaller meals daily for three larger meals may be effective. Orthostatic hypotension is a cause of falls in older adults, but does not just occur around meal times. While it is true that residents of long term care facilities are on multiple medications and are usually toileted following meals, neither of these options addresses postprandial hypotension.

A Nurse in a Long-Term Care Facility Notes That There