Texas Medical Assistant Certification Practice Test

How would you expect the pulse of a patient diagnosed with uncontrolled hypertension to feel?

1. Strong

2. Weak

3. Bounding

4. Normal

The correct answer is: Bounding

In patients diagnosed with uncontrolled hypertension, the pulse is expected to feel bounding. This is due to the increased pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps blood. The term "bounding" refers to a pulse that is not only strong but also has a significant force behind it, which is a characteristic of high blood pressure. When hypertension is uncontrolled, the heart must work harder to overcome the raised systemic resistance, leading to a pulse that feels more vigorous and pronounced than normal. In contrast, a strong pulse might be indicative of increased cardiac output but doesn't necessarily signify the same degree of pressure as bounding. A weak pulse may suggest inadequate blood flow or lower cardiac output, which is not typical in uncontrolled hypertension. Lastly, a normal pulse would suggest that the patient's blood pressure is under control, which would not apply in this scenario. Thus, the best expectation for the pulse of a patient with uncontrolled hypertension is that it would feel bounding, reflecting the heightened arterial pressure.