A nurse notes a typical cardiovascular change in an immobilized postoperative patient.Which of the following did the nurse find upon assessment?

A) Atelectasis
B) Negative nitrogen balance
C) Orthostatic hypotension
D) Bleeding

Orthostatic hypotension,a common cardiovascular response,occurs in patients on bed rest and after prolonged sitting.Orthostatic hypotension is an increase in heart rate of more than 15% and a drop of 15 mm Hg or more in systolic blood pressure or a decrease of 10 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure when the patient rises from a lying or sitting position to a standing position.Respiratory changes,not cardiovascular,include decreased lung expansion,generalized muscle weakness,and stasis of secretions.These conditions are consistent with the development of atelectasis.Three factors contribute to thrombus formation (not bleeding),which include loss of integrity of vessel wall,abnormalities of blood flow,and changes in clotting factors/increased platelet activity.