CNS stimulants are contraindicated for clients with a history of which condition?

• A. Coronary artery disease
• B. Hypertension
• C. Liver failure
• D. Diabetes mellitus

Answer: (B)

CNS stimulants boost sympathetic activity and raise heart rate and blood pressure by increasing norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. In someone with a history of hypertension, this can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure and increase the workload on the heart, raising the risk of hypertensive crisis, stroke, or myocardial ischemia. That direct potential for elevating blood pressure makes hypertension a contraindication for CNS stimulants.

Liver failure and diabetes mellitus don’t inherently prevent stimulant use, and coronary artery disease is also a cardiovascular issue, but the key safety concern highlighted here is the drug’s tendency to raise blood pressure in someone who already has hypertension.