A client is experiencing severe acute respiratory distress. Which response would the nurse expect the client to exhibit?

• A. Tremors
• B. Anasarca
• C. Bradypnea
• D. Tachycardia

Answer: (D)

In severe acute respiratory distress, the body faces rapid breathing and reduced oxygenation, so the heart responds quickly to keep tissues oxygenated. This compensatory mechanism is an increase in heart rate, or tachycardia, driven by sympathetic nervous system activation to boost cardiac output and improve oxygen delivery despite impaired lung function.

Tremors aren’t a primary sign of acute respiratory distress and might reflect other factors like anxiety or metabolic issues. Anasarca is generalized fluid overload and not an immediate response to sudden breathing difficulty. Bradypnea would mean slower-than-normal breathing, which doesn’t fit the picture of severe distress where breathing is typically rapid and labored.