A patient undergoing chemotherapy reports that food tastes bitter and unpleasant.
Which condition best describes this symptom?
Anosmia.
Dysgeusia.
Ageusia.
Hypogeusia.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale
Anosmia refers to the complete loss of the sense of smell, which can significantly impact the perception of flavor but does not directly cause food to taste bitter or unpleasant. While smell contributes to about 80 percent of what we perceive as taste, the specific complaint of a distorted or foul taste in the mouth is a gustatory rather than an olfactory deficit. Therefore, anosmia does not accurately describe the symptom of food tasting bitter during chemotherapy treatments.
Choice B rationale
Dysgeusia is a condition characterized by a persistent distortion of the sense of taste, often manifesting as a metallic, salty, or bitter sensation. In oncology patients, chemotherapy drugs can damage the rapidly dividing taste bud cells or be secreted into the saliva, altering the chemical environment of the mouth. This leads to the unpleasant and bitter taste reported by the patient. It is a common side effect that can lead to decreased oral intake and nutritional deficiencies.
Choice C rationale
Ageusia is the complete loss of taste functions, meaning the individual cannot detect any of the basic tastes such as sweet, sour, salty, or bitter. The patient in this scenario is still able to perceive taste, but the perception is distorted and unpleasant rather than absent. Since the patient specifically describes the taste as bitter rather than stating they have no taste sensation at all, ageusia is an incorrect classification for this specific sensory alteration during chemotherapy.
Choice D rationale
Hypogeusia is a reduced ability to taste, where the intensity of all taste sensations is diminished but not completely gone. While a patient with hypogeusia might find food bland, they do not typically report that food tastes specifically bitter or unpleasant as a result of the condition itself. The patient's report of a distinct, foul, and bitter taste points toward a qualitative distortion of taste, which is the defining characteristic of dysgeusia rather than a simple quantitative reduction.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Albumin is the primary protein responsible for maintaining plasma oncotic pressure, also known as colloid osmotic pressure. Normal serum albumin ranges from 3.5 to 5.0 g/dL. This pressure acts like a sponge, pulling water from the interstitial spaces back into the vascular compartment. When albumin levels are low, this pulling force decreases significantly. Consequently, the fluid that normally moves out of the capillaries cannot be effectively reabsorbed, leading to accumulation in the tissues.
Choice B rationale
Decreased capillary permeability would actually prevent fluid from leaving the vascular space and entering the tissues. In conditions involving generalized edema due to low albumin, the permeability of the capillary walls themselves is often unchanged. The issue is not the size of the pores in the vessel walls, but rather the loss of the inward osmotic gradient that keeps fluid inside. Therefore, permeability changes do not explain the edema seen in hypoalbuminemia or nephrotic syndrome.
Choice C rationale
Increased osmotic pressure in the interstitial space would happen if there were an accumulation of solutes or proteins outside the blood vessels. While this would cause edema, it is not the mechanism triggered by low serum albumin. In hypoalbuminemia, the problem is a lack of pressure within the vessel, not an excess of pressure outside. The shift is driven by the loss of the intravascular oncotic gradient rather than an active increase in interstitial osmotic forces.
Choice D rationale
Increased hydrostatic pressure is the force exerted by blood against the vessel wall, typically seen in heart failure or fluid overload. While high hydrostatic pressure does push fluid into the tissues, it is a different mechanism from oncotic pressure loss. In a client with low albumin, the hydrostatic pressure might be normal, but because the opposing oncotic pressure is so weak, the net fluid movement is still directed outward into the interstitial space, causing edema.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
A spinal cord injury involves damage to the axons and neurons within the spinal canal. Nervous tissue is responsible for transmitting electrical impulses from the brain to the peripheral muscles. When this tissue is damaged, the "messages" for voluntary movement cannot reach their destination. Even if the muscles themselves are healthy, they remain immobile because the neural circuitry required to initiate contraction has been disrupted. Thus, the primary site of the pathology is the nervous tissue.
Choice B rationale
Muscle tissue is the effector organ that carries out the movement, but it is not the tissue primarily affected by a spinal cord injury. In the initial stages of such an injury, the muscles are structurally intact. They only begin to atrophy later due to a lack of neural stimulation, known as disuse atrophy. The paralysis is a secondary result of the loss of innervation, meaning the muscle tissue is waiting for a signal that the damaged nervous tissue can no longer provide.
Choice C rationale
Connective tissue, which includes bone, cartilage, and tendons, provides the structural framework for the body. While a fractured vertebra (bone) often causes a spinal cord injury, the connective tissue itself is not responsible for the loss of voluntary movement. The connective tissue remains capable of supporting the body's weight or connecting muscle to bone, but without the electrical input from the nervous system, the mechanical components of the musculoskeletal system cannot be activated for purposeful motion.
Choice D rationale
Epithelial tissue forms the linings of organs, the skin, and the various glands of the body. Its primary functions include protection, absorption, and secretion. While epithelial cells are present in the membranes surrounding the spinal cord (such as the arachnoid mater), they do not play a role in the conduction of motor signals. Damage to epithelial tissue would not result in the loss of voluntary muscle control or the paralysis seen following a traumatic neurological event. .
Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.
Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today
Report Wrong Answer on the Current Question
Do you disagree with the answer? If yes, what is your expected answer? Explain.
Kindly be descriptive with the issue you are facing.