Which of the following is a recommended nonpharmacologic response to hypotension?

• A. Trendelenburg position
• B. Administer high-dose epinephrine
• C. Place patient in prone position
• D. Immediate IV fluid bolus only without repositioning

Answer: (A)

In acute hypotension, a fast, nondrug maneuver that can boost blood pressure is to improve venous return to the heart by changing body position. Trendelenburg position, where the legs are elevated and the head is lowered, shifts blood toward the central circulation. This increases preload—the amount of blood filling the heart before it contracts—which can raise cardiac output and arterial pressure quickly, providing a brief but helpful boost while you assess and address the underlying cause.

The other options involve interventions that aren’t aligned with this quick, nonpharmacologic approach. Using a high-dose drug (epinephrine) introduces pharmacologic therapy. Placing someone in a prone position would actually reduce venous return and worsen hypotension. An immediate IV fluid bolus targets volume status, but if the scenario emphasizes a positional maneuver for rapid improvement, it doesn’t utilize the same immediate preload effect that elevating the legs in this way does.