Which physical finding would be most likely in a client reporting high acute stress?

Which physical finding would be most likely in a client reporting high acute stress?

• A. 178/96 mm Hg
• B. Pupils constricted
• C. Palms sweaty
• D. Legs are continually moving in the bed

Answer: (C)

When acute stress hits, the body’s fight-or-flight response kicks in, activating the sympathetic nervous system. This rapid arousal often shows up as sweating, especially on the palms, because sweat glands are activated to help cool the body and prepare for action. Palms sweating is a classic, quick indicator of sympathetic arousal during anxiety or acute stress. Constricted pupils would be a parasympathetic response and aren’t typical in this high-arousal state. Leg movements in bed reflect restlessness but aren’t as specifically tied to acute sympathetic activation as sweaty palms. A single blood pressure reading can be elevated with stress, but it varies and isn’t as immediate or specific as palmar sweating.

When acute stress hits, the body’s fight-or-flight response kicks in, activating the sympathetic nervous system. This rapid arousal often shows up as sweating, especially on the palms, because sweat glands are activated to help cool the body and prepare for action. Palms sweating is a classic, quick indicator of sympathetic arousal during anxiety or acute stress.

Constricted pupils would be a parasympathetic response and aren’t typical in this high-arousal state. Leg movements in bed reflect restlessness but aren’t as specifically tied to acute sympathetic activation as sweaty palms. A single blood pressure reading can be elevated with stress, but it varies and isn’t as immediate or specific as palmar sweating.