What vital signs should be monitored in a patient presenting with altered mental status?

Monitoring vital signs in a patient with altered mental status is crucial for determining the underlying cause and guiding appropriate interventions. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure provide essential information about the patient’s hemodynamic stability and overall physiological status.

Heart rate can signal potential cardiac issues, while respiratory rate assesses the adequacy of ventilation and oxygenation. Blood pressure indicates the perfusion status of vital organs and can reveal if a patient is experiencing shock or other life-threatening conditions. By comprehensively evaluating these vital signs, healthcare providers can better identify serious problems such as hypovolemic shock, septicemia, or respiratory failure, which could contribute to the altered mental state.

The other options, while addressing various aspects of patient assessment, do not encompass the complete picture provided by monitoring the vital signs listed. Blood glucose levels are indeed critical in particular contexts but do not represent a full assessment of the patient with altered mental status. Similarly, focusing only on temperature and heart rate or solely on oxygen saturation and stress levels ignores other essential parameters that might indicate life-threatening conditions. Therefore, a holistic approach to monitoring, which includes heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, is crucial for effective management in these cases.