A nurse is assessing a patient who complains of awful abdominal pain and rates it as a 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which of the following physiologic signs may accompany acute pain? (Select all that apply.)

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system responds to acute pain by increasing heart rate, increasing blood pressure, causing diaphoresis, increasing respiratory rate, increasing muscle tension, dilating pupils, and decreasing gastrointestinal motility. The other symptoms usually accompany persistent or chronic pain. Irritability, depression, and insomnia are manifestations of chronic rather than acute pain.

A Nurse Is Assessing a Patient Who Complains of Awful