A 49-year-old male with a history of heart problems complains of chest pressure. Under what condition should you assist him in taking nitroglycerin?

Assisting a patient in taking nitroglycerin is primarily based on their current symptoms and vital signs, particularly blood pressure and heart conditions. Nitroglycerin is commonly used to alleviate chest pain associated with angina and certain types of heart problems.

In the first scenario, the patient is experiencing chest pressure, which is a typical indication for assisting with nitroglycerin. The blood pressure reading of 132/90 is generally within an acceptable range for administering this medication; it indicates that the patient is not hypotensive, which could be a concern when giving nitroglycerin, as it can lower blood pressure. The presence of a headache can be a common side effect of nitroglycerin, but it does not contraindicate its use when the vital signs allow treatment. Therefore, this option represents a situation in which the benefits of administering nitroglycerin would outweigh the risks considering the blood pressure is stable and the patient is symptomatic.

The other scenarios present concerns that would typically require caution or deferment in assisting with nitroglycerin. High blood pressure or severe dizziness could indicate the body is not tolerating treatment well, and with any history of stroke, there are additional risks associated with thickness changes in the blood flow dynamics, making