A patient with esophageal varices is at risk for hemorrhagic shock. Which sign indicates potential hypovolemia?

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Study for the NCLEX Hepatic and Biliary Exam. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple choice questions, featuring hints and explanations. Get prepared and boost your confidence for test day!

Multiple Choice

A patient with esophageal varices is at risk for hemorrhagic shock. Which sign indicates potential hypovolemia?

Explanation:
The key idea is recognizing signs of reduced intravascular volume. When a patient loses a lot of blood from esophageal variceal bleeding, the circulating blood pool drops, so the body can’t maintain arterial pressure. Hypotension directly signals this significant volume deficit and impending hypovolemic shock. The other options don’t fit: warm, moist skin suggests good perfusion or a different shock pattern; bradycardia isn’t typical in acute blood loss (tachycardia is more common as compensation); polyuria reflects kidney handling of fluids rather than a direct marker of volume loss.

The key idea is recognizing signs of reduced intravascular volume. When a patient loses a lot of blood from esophageal variceal bleeding, the circulating blood pool drops, so the body can’t maintain arterial pressure. Hypotension directly signals this significant volume deficit and impending hypovolemic shock. The other options don’t fit: warm, moist skin suggests good perfusion or a different shock pattern; bradycardia isn’t typical in acute blood loss (tachycardia is more common as compensation); polyuria reflects kidney handling of fluids rather than a direct marker of volume loss.

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