A nurse is reviewing the chest x-ray of an older adult client. Which of the following findings is a normal age-related change in the thorax?

The correct answer is B.

Instruct the client to tuck their chin when swallowing.

This action helps to prevent aspiration by closing off the airway and directing food and liquid into the esophagus.It also reduces the risk of food getting stuck in the throat or chest.

Choice A is wrong because thin liquids are more difficult to swallow and control for clients who have dysphagia due to decreased esophageal motility.They can easily enter the airway and cause choking or pneumonia.

Choice C is wrong because hot or spicy foods can irritate the esophagus and worsen the symptoms of dysphagia.They can also trigger reflux, which can damage the esophageal lining and cause narrowing or inflammation.

Choice D is wrong because elevating the head of the bed to 30 degrees during meals is not enough to prevent aspiration or regurgitation.The client should be sitting upright at 90 degrees or higher to facilitate swallowing and gravity.

Normal ranges for esophageal motility are:.

• Lower esophageal sphincter pressure: 10 to 45 mm Hg.

• Peristaltic amplitude: 30 to 180 mm Hg.

• Peristaltic duration: 2.5 to 6 seconds.

• Peristaltic velocity: 2 to 4.5 cm/s.

The correct answer is A, D, and E.

Here is why:.

A. “You may experience dizziness when you stand up quickly.” This is true because aging causes the arteries and arterioles to become less elastic and less able to adjust the blood pressure quickly when the posture changes.This can lead to a drop in blood pressure when standing up, which can cause dizziness or fainting.

D. “Your blood vessels may become stiffer and narrower.” This is true because aging causes the walls of the arteries and arterioles to become thicker and stiffer, which reduces their compliance and increases the resistance to blood flow.This can lead to high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases.

E. “Your heart may skip some beats or have extra beats.” This is true because aging causes changes in the electrical system of the heart, which can result in arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, premature ventricular contractions, or sinus bradycardia.These can cause irregular heartbeats that may be felt as palpitations or skipped beats.

B. “Your blood pressure may drop when you are resting.” This is false because aging does not cause a decrease in blood pressure at rest.

In fact, aging tends to increase the systolic blood pressure (the pressure when the heart contracts) due to the stiffening of the arteries.The diastolic blood pressure (the pressure when the heart relaxes) may remain normal or decrease slightly, resulting in a widened pulse pressure (the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures).

C. “Your heart may beat faster when you exercise.” This is false because aging does not cause an increase in heart rate during exercise.

In fact, aging tends to decrease the maximum heart rate that can be achieved during exercise due to the reduced responsiveness of the heart to adrenergic stimuli.The older heart also takes longer to recover after exercise.

Normal ranges for blood pressure are less than 120/80 mmHg for adults of any age.Normal ranges for heart rate are 60-100 beats per minute for adults of any age, but the maximum heart rate decreases with age according to the formula 220 minus age.