IGNOU PB Bsc Entrance-2022
Mental Health Nursing
Medium
The following are the symptoms of anxiety, except :
Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Entrance-2022
Explanation
- Anxiety activates the sympathetic nervous system, also known as the 'fight-or-flight' response.
- This response leads to the release of adrenaline, which increases the heart rate, a condition called tachycardia.
- Bradycardia is a slow heart rate (typically below 60 bpm) and is the physiological opposite of the expected cardiovascular response to anxiety.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Palpitations, or a feeling of a rapid, fluttering, or pounding heart, are a hallmark symptom of anxiety, caused by the increased heart rate and force of contraction from adrenaline.
- Option B: Gastric discomfort, including nausea or 'butterflies in the stomach,' is a common anxiety symptom. It occurs as the body diverts blood flow away from the digestive system to the muscles.
- Option C: Increased frequency of urination is a known physiological response to acute stress and anxiety, partly due to generalized muscle tension affecting the bladder.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Somatic symptoms of anxiety as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- A nurse's primary role is to differentiate anxiety symptoms from life-threatening conditions like a myocardial infarction, as both can present with chest pain and palpitations.
- Recognizing the wide range of somatic (physical) symptoms of anxiety helps in providing holistic care and educating patients about the mind-body connection, which can reduce fear of the symptoms themselves.
- What if? If a patient taking a beta-blocker (which lowers heart rate) reports anxiety, they may not exhibit tachycardia. The nurse must then rely on other signs like sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, and the patient's subjective report of fear or dread to assess their anxiety level.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the core concept being tested, which is the physical symptoms of anxiety.
- Note the critical keyword 'except'. This tells you to look for the option that is NOT a symptom of anxiety.
- Recall the basic physiology of anxiety: it triggers the 'fight-or-flight' response via the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates the body.
- Evaluate each option based on this principle. Ask yourself, 'Is this symptom caused by stimulation or relaxation?'
- Palpitations (increased heart activity), gastric discomfort (altered digestion), and urinary frequency (muscle tension) are all consistent with a stimulated state.
- Bradycardia (slow heart rate) is a sign of relaxation or parasympathetic activity, making it the opposite of what is expected in anxiety. Therefore, it is the correct answer.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Somatic symptoms of anxiety
- Stem keywords: symptoms, anxiety
- Lead-in keywords: except
- Negative lead-in flag: This question uses negative framing ('except'), asking you to identify the option that is NOT a symptom of anxiety.
Question ID
QC_P89w1D6sBJOfi77-m9S
Reference Book
E6 Medicine Davidson Principles Practice 24e p. 475-477
E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1287-1289
Practise the full IGNOU PB Bsc Entrance-2022
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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