Odessa is a 54-year-old woman, 5″4″, 185 lbs, complaining of headaches, lightheadedness and dizziness. These symptoms have been occurring over the past several months but are getting worse. Now, this morning, she reports experiencing a nosebleed. She had attended a blood pressure screening at the mall a couple weeks ago and her reading was 170/92. The nurse told her to make an appointment with her doctor; however, she reports she has been “too busy” planning her daughter’s wedding and has been under a great deal of stress taking care of her father. The nosebleed made her decide to come to the clinic today. This morning, her BP reading is 184/96 and she reports she is now up to smoking 2 packs/day because of the stress.
