Reference no: EM133862255

Problem

A 22-year-old woman presents for a routine annual visit. She has never had a Pap smear and desires to do so today. Having completed the initial screen, the nurse reports that the patient's blood pressure is 150/90 mm Hg. The remainder of her vital signs, including body mass index, are within normal limits. The patient has a medical history of depressive disorder and sinus congestion. Her father was diagnosed at age 45 with hypertension and had a myocardial infarction at the age of 50. The patient denies the use of illicit drugs or alcohol. The patient's current medications include norethindrone/ethinyl estradiol oral contraceptive pill, bupropion 200 mg twice daily, fluticasone nasal spray as needed, cetirizine as needed, pseudoephedrine as needed, and ibuprofen 800 mg as needed. The patient states she is very anxious about the Pap smear. Get the instant assignment help. A 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor is performed to rule out "white coat hypertension," and the results confirm this patient has consistently elevated blood pressure at home as well. What is the next step in the evaluation or treatment of this patient?