If a patient's systolic blood pressure is elevated, what should be your first action?

When faced with a patient who has elevated systolic blood pressure, the initial response should focus on ensuring the patient's emotional and physical well-being. Calming the patient is crucial because anxiety and stress can exacerbate hypertension. Elevated blood pressure readings can often be influenced by the patient's state of mind; if a patient is anxious, their blood pressure may rise even further.

By creating a calm environment and reassuring the patient, you can help in stabilizing their blood pressure before taking further action. This step prepares the patient for any necessary evaluations or interventions and contributes to a more accurate assessment of their blood pressure.

Investigating dietary habits, administering medication, or conducting a physical examination can be important follow-up actions, but none of these should take precedence over addressing the patient's emotional state first. Each of the other options would typically follow once the patient is calm and assessed further.