A client presents to the emergency department following a major traffic accident. Though outwardly there are no apparent physical injuries found, the client is experiencing chest pain and heightened alertness, which the health care worker attributes to the first stage of general adaptation syndrome (GAS). The health care worker concludes the client is experiencing manifestations related to the release of: Group of answer choices

GAS or General Adaptation Syndrome is the body's response mechanism to prolonged stress. Body undergoes physiological changes under stress even when there is as such no physical trauma. GAS is comprised of three stages: alarm reaction, resistance and exhaustion.

The given case is an example of first stage of GAS which is alarm reaction. Due to the sudden traffic accident, the client became alarmed and went into "fight or flight" mode. Even though there were no apparent physical injuries, the stress due to the whole event caused changes in client's body. Epinephrine is one of the hormones involved in fight or flight response. So it was released more in client's body and it caused him to be more alert. Due to its release heart rate and blood pressure also increased which caused his chest pain.