A patient is diagnosed with hypokalemia. After reviewing the patient's current medications, which drug should the nurse consider that might have contributed to the patient's health problem?
Narcotic.
Thiazide diuretic.
Corticosteroid.
Muscle relaxer.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale:
Narcotics are not known to directly cause hypokalemia. Their main effects are related to pain relief and central nervous system depression.
Choice B rationale:
Thiazide diuretics can cause potassium loss in the urine, leading to hypokalemia. These diuretics work by inhibiting sodium reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule, which can lead to potassium excretion as well.
Choice C rationale:
Corticosteroids can cause sodium and water retention but are not typically associated with significant potassium abnormalities.
Choice D rationale:
Muscle relaxers are not known to cause hypokalemia. They primarily act on the neuromuscular junction and do not directly impact potassium levels.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
The client with a phosphate level of 5.7 mg/dL likely has a manifestation of hypoparathyroidism. Hypoparathyroidism leads to decreased parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion, which causes increased renal phosphate reabsorption, leading to elevated phosphate levels in the blood.
Choice B rationale:
A calcium level of 9.8 mg/dL is within the normal range (8.5-10.2 mg/dL) and does not indicate hypoparathyroidism.
Choice C rationale:
A vitamin D level of 25 ng/mL is within the normal range (30-100 ng/mL) and does not suggest hypoparathyroidism.
Choice D rationale:
A magnesium level of 1.8 mEq/L is within the normal range (1.7-2.2 mEq/L) and does not directly indicate hypoparathyroidism.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice B rationale:
The patient's tachycardia, pale, cool skin, and decreased urine output are signs of the body's natural compensatory mechanisms in response to fluid volume deficit. When the body
experiences a decrease in fluid volume, it tries to compensate by increasing heart rate (tachycardia) to maintain blood flow to vital organs and constricting blood vessels to preserve fluid and maintain blood pressure. Pale, cool skin is a result of vasoconstriction, and decreased urine output is a way the body conserves water during dehydration.
Choice A rationale:
Effects of rapidly infused intravenous fluids are not the cause of the patient's current findings. In fact, the nurse's notes indicate that the IV fluid therapy (0.9% sodium chloride) was initiated at 125 mL/hr, which is a relatively standard and cautious rate. Rapidly infused fluids could potentially cause fluid overload, but that is not the situation here.
Choice C rationale:
Pharmacological effects of a diuretic are not relevant to this patient's presentation. There is no mention of diuretic use in the nurse's notes, and the symptoms presented are more consistent with fluid volume deficit and dehydration rather than diuretic use.
Choice D rationale:
Cardiac failure is not the correct answer, as there is no indication of heart failure in the patient's presentation or nurse's notes. The symptoms and findings described are more indicative of fluid volume deficit, which is not synonymous with cardiac failure.
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