A 58-Year-Old Man Is Evaluated for Hypertension in the Postanesthesia

question 141

Multiple Choice

A 58-year-old man is evaluated for hypertension in the postanesthesia care unit 3 hours after undergoing open left inguinal hernia repair with placement of mesh.  The surgery, which lasted approximately 1 hour, was performed using both general anesthesia and local anesthetic.  Medical history is significant for obesity and prior surgical hemorrhoidectomy.  The patient is alert and reports vague lower abdominal discomfort.  Blood pressure is 150/92 mm Hg and pulse is 104/min.  A surgical dressing on the left groin is intact with a small amount of serosanguinous drainage.  There is mild distension in the central part of the lower abdomen, where palpation increases the patient's discomfort.  The rest of the abdomen is soft and nontender.  Postoperative telemetry reveals sinus tachycardia.  Which of the following is the best next step in management of this patient?

• A)Administration of additional opioid analgesics
• B)CT scan of the abdomen
• C)Exploration of the surgical site in the operating room
• D)Intravenous antihypertensive medication
• E)Portable bladder ultrasound

---

Definitions:

Date of Payment

The date of payment refers to the specific day a payment was made or is scheduled to be made for transactions, bills, or invoices.

Dividends

Payments made by a corporation to its shareholders, usually as a distribution of profits.

Retained Earnings

The portion of net earnings not distributed as dividends to shareholders but retained by the company to reinvest in its core business or to pay debt.

Net Income

The total profit of a company after all expenses, taxes, and costs have been deducted from total revenue.