Hypertension — NCLEX Cheat Sheet
BP ≥ 130/80 mmHgAlso known as: high blood pressure · HTN · high BP
Use this quick-reference guide to spot, treat, and prevent Hypertension on the NCLEX. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!
🩺📒 The 1-minute cheat sheet
🩺 Signs
- Often silent killer
- Headache, blurred vision, dizzy
🧪 Meds
- ACE/ARB, CCB, thiazide, BB
- ACE → dry cough, watch K
- Rise slow (orthostatic)
🎓 Teach
- Low Na/DASH diet, exercise
- No smoking, lose weight
- Never stop meds abruptly
🚩 Report
- BP > 180/120 = crisis
- Chest pain, vision loss, stroke
📚 Hypertension — full study notes
The cheat sheet above is your quick recall card. These notes go deeper — what it is, what to do first, what must be reported, and what to teach.
Key points
Understand these first- Hypertension is most often asymptomatic, which is why routine screening and adherence are emphasized.
- Target organ damage includes left ventricular hypertrophy, stroke, retinopathy, kidney damage, and coronary artery disease.
- Modifiable risk factors include obesity, high sodium intake, smoking, excess alcohol, stress, and physical inactivity.
- A hypertensive crisis is a systolic over 180 or diastolic over 120 mmHg and can cause encephalopathy, stroke, or MI.
- Orthostatic hypotension is a common side effect of many antihypertensive medications.
Nursing priorities
What to do, in order- Measure blood pressure accurately using the correct cuff size with the patient seated and rested.
- Administer prescribed antihypertensives and monitor for therapeutic effect and side effects such as hypotension.
- Teach and reinforce lifestyle modification including the DASH diet and sodium restriction.
- Monitor for and educate about orthostatic hypotension, instructing slow position changes.
- Assess for target organ damage by monitoring renal function, vision changes, and neurologic status.
Red flags — report now
Escalate immediately- Blood pressure over 180/120 mmHg with headache, blurred vision, chest pain, or neurologic changes is a hypertensive emergency requiring immediate intervention.
- Sudden severe headache, confusion, or focal weakness may signal stroke and must be escalated immediately.
- Abruptly stopping beta-blockers or clonidine can cause dangerous rebound hypertension.
Labs & values
Numbers to know- BUN: 10-20 mg/dL and creatinine 0.6-1.2 mg/dL to monitor kidney function
- Potassium: 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (monitor with diuretics and ACE inhibitors)
- Lipid panel and fasting glucose to assess overall cardiovascular risk
Patient teaching
What patients must know- Take medications consistently every day even when feeling well, since hypertension usually has no symptoms.
- Follow a low-sodium DASH diet, limit alcohol, stop smoking, exercise regularly, and lose excess weight.
- Monitor blood pressure at home, keep a log, and change positions slowly to prevent dizziness and falls.
❓ Hypertension: NCLEX FAQs
What are the priority nursing interventions for Hypertension?
Measure blood pressure accurately using the correct cuff size with the patient seated and rested. Administer prescribed antihypertensives and monitor for therapeutic effect and side effects such as hypotension. Teach and reinforce lifestyle modification including the DASH diet and sodium restriction. Monitor for and educate about orthostatic hypotension, instructing slow position changes.
What are the warning signs of Hypertension a nurse must report?
Blood pressure over 180/120 mmHg with headache, blurred vision, chest pain, or neurologic changes is a hypertensive emergency requiring immediate intervention. Sudden severe headache, confusion, or focal weakness may signal stroke and must be escalated immediately. Abruptly stopping beta-blockers or clonidine can cause dangerous rebound hypertension.
What do I need to know about Hypertension for the NCLEX?
Hypertension is most often asymptomatic, which is why routine screening and adherence are emphasized. Target organ damage includes left ventricular hypertrophy, stroke, retinopathy, kidney damage, and coronary artery disease. Modifiable risk factors include obesity, high sodium intake, smoking, excess alcohol, stress, and physical inactivity. A hypertensive crisis is a systolic over 180 or diastolic over 120 mmHg and can cause encephalopathy, stroke, or MI.
What patient teaching is important for Hypertension?
Take medications consistently every day even when feeling well, since hypertension usually has no symptoms. Follow a low-sodium DASH diet, limit alcohol, stop smoking, exercise regularly, and lose excess weight. Monitor blood pressure at home, keep a log, and change positions slowly to prevent dizziness and falls.
Quick Tip
Hypertension is most often asymptomatic, which is why routine screening and adherence are emphasized.
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