The nurse is caring for a client who had been receiving supplemental cortisone.The client developed a bleeding ulcer,and the steroid was discontinued.The bleeding has stopped but the blood pressure remains unstable.The nurse recognizes that the unstable blood pressure is related to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The unstable blood pressure is related to down-regulation of corticosteroid receptors. When the body is exposed to high levels of cortisone (a corticosteroid) for a prolonged period, it may decrease the number of corticosteroid receptors as a way to reduce sensitivity to the hormone. Once the supplemental cortisone is discontinued, the body's reduced number of receptors may struggle to respond adequately to the body's own corticosteroids, potentially leading to issues such as unstable blood pressure.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Client Who Had Been