A nurse admits a patient with a diagnosis of syncope of unknown etiology.Orthostatic vital signs are lying: 110/80 mm/Hg; sitting: 100/74 mm/Hg; standing: 92/40 mm/Hg.Based on this information,what should the nurse monitor?

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Postural (orthostatic)hypotension occurs when the systolic blood pressure drops by 10 to 20 mm Hg or the diastolic blood pressure drops by 5 mm Hg after a change from the supine posture to the upright posture.This is usually accompanied by dizziness,lightheadedness,or syncope.If a patient experiences these symptoms,it is important to complete a full set of postural vital signs before increasing the patient's activity level.

A Nurse Admits a Patient with a Diagnosis of Syncope