NBCSN Nationally Certified School Nurse Practice Exam

Which of the following conditions can lead to increased heart and respiratory rates?

1. Low blood pressure

2. Fever

3. Mild dehydration

4. Excessive exercise

The correct answer is: Fever

The condition leading to increased heart and respiratory rates is fever. When the body experiences a fever, it increases its metabolic rate as part of the immune response to fight off infections. This rise in body temperature accelerates the heart rate and can also lead to faster breathing as the body works harder to meet the increased oxygen demands and to help manage heat production. While low blood pressure, mild dehydration, and excessive exercise can also affect heart and respiratory rates, their mechanisms and contexts differ significantly from those of fever. Low blood pressure might cause a compensatory increase in heart rate, but it does not inherently cause an increase in respiration rate as fever does. Mild dehydration can lead to increased heart rate due to reduced blood volume, but it typically does not have the same profound effect on respiratory rate. Excessive exercise definitely raises both heart and respiratory rates, but that response is due to physical exertion rather than a physiological condition like fever, which triggers a systemic response in the body. Fever is specifically recognized as a clear cause for heightened vital signs due to its role in stimulating the immune response.