An individual with a history of angina takes sublingual nitroglycerine to relieve chest pain ranked 6/10. Five min later, the chest pain is 4/10. What action should the nurse take next?
A) Have a family member call 911.
B) Tell the individual to take a warm shower.
C) Instruct the individual to take another sublingual nitroglycerine tablet.
D) Monitor the individual for an additional 10 min before taking any action.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The individual's chest pain has only decreased to a 4/10 which is still considered moderate pain. The individual has a history of angina which indicates that they have a risk for further cardiac events. Therefore, it is appropriate to instruct them to take another sublingual nitroglycerine tablet to further relieve their chest pain. The nurse should also monitor the individual's blood pressure and heart rate as a side effect of nitroglycerine is hypotension.

An Individual with a History of Angina Takes Sublingual Nitroglycerine