A client comes to the clinic reporting fatigue. Laboratory findings reveal a low serum iron level, a low transferrin saturation, and a low ferritin level. Which type of anemia does the nurse suspect that correlates with these laboratory findings?
Sickle cell disease
Pernicious anemia
Hemolytic anemia
Iron deficiency anemia
The Correct Answer is D
Reasoning:
Choice A reason: Sickle cell disease is a hemolytic anemia caused by a hemoglobin mutation, not low iron. Laboratory findings show normal or elevated iron due to hemolysis, not low serum iron, transferrin saturation, or ferritin, which are specific to iron deficiency, ruling out sickle cell anemia.
Choice B reason: Pernicious anemia results from vitamin B12 deficiency, impairing DNA synthesis and red blood cell maturation. It is not associated with low serum iron, transferrin saturation, or ferritin, which reflect iron stores. Pernicious anemia typically shows megaloblastic changes, not microcytic anemia, unlike iron deficiency.
Choice C reason: Hemolytic anemia involves red blood cell destruction, often increasing iron levels due to hemoglobin breakdown. Low serum iron, transferrin saturation, and ferritin are not typical, as hemolysis does not deplete iron stores. These findings point to iron deficiency, not hemolytic processes.
Choice D reason: Iron deficiency anemia is characterized by low serum iron, transferrin saturation, and ferritin, reflecting depleted iron stores. Iron is essential for hemoglobin synthesis, and its deficiency causes microcytic, hypochromic anemia, leading to fatigue, matching the client’s laboratory findings and clinical presentation accurately.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Reasoning:
Choice A reason: Itching, rash, and jaundice are not typical of iron deficiency anemia. Jaundice suggests hemolysis or liver disease, and itching or rash may indicate allergic or dermatologic conditions. Iron deficiency causes reduced hemoglobin, leading to oxygen delivery issues, not these symptoms, making this incorrect.
Choice B reason: Night sweats, weight loss, and diarrhea suggest systemic conditions like malignancy or infection, not iron deficiency anemia. These symptoms are unrelated to low iron, which primarily causes fatigue and pallor due to reduced hemoglobin and oxygen-carrying capacity, not inflammatory or gastrointestinal symptoms.
Choice C reason: Dyspnea, tachycardia, and pallor are classic findings in iron deficiency anemia. Low hemoglobin reduces oxygen delivery, causing dyspnea and tachycardia as the body compensates. Pallor results from decreased red blood cell mass, reflecting the anemia’s impact on tissue oxygenation and circulation.
Choice D reason: Nausea, vomiting, and anorexia are not primary features of iron deficiency anemia. These gastrointestinal symptoms may occur with iron supplementation side effects or other conditions, but anemia itself causes fatigue, pallor, and dyspnea due to low hemoglobin, not digestive disturbances.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Reasoning:
Choice A reason: Confusion may occur in SIADH due to hyponatremia-induced cerebral edema, but diarrhea is not a typical sign of fluid overload. Diarrhea causes fluid loss, which is opposite to the water retention seen in SIADH, making this combination less indicative of fluid overload compared to cardiovascular or respiratory signs.
Choice B reason: Hypertension may occur in SIADH due to fluid overload, but weight gain without edema is less specific. SIADH often causes subtle fluid retention without overt edema, but weight gain alone does not fully indicate fluid overload, as it lacks the respiratory or cardiovascular specificity of dyspnea and hypertension.
Choice C reason: Pulmonary congestion may indicate fluid overload in SIADH, as excess water can lead to pulmonary edema. However, muscle cramps are more related to hyponatremia than fluid overload itself. This combination is less precise than dyspnea and hypertension for identifying fluid overload in this context.
Choice D reason: Dyspnea and hypertension are key indicators of fluid overload in SIADH. Excessive ADH causes water retention, increasing blood volume, which raises blood pressure. Fluid accumulation in the lungs can cause dyspnea, reflecting pulmonary edema, a serious complication of fluid overload in SIADH, making this the most accurate finding.
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