Manifestations of active tuberculosis infection may include:
High-grade daytime fever.
Weight gain.
Blood-tinged sputum.
Increased appetite.
The Correct Answer is C
A. High-grade daytime fever is incorrect because TB typically presents with a low-grade fever that is more pronounced in the late afternoon or evening. Night sweats are a classic symptom of TB and reflect the body’s immune response to the persistent infection, rather than a high fever during the day. High daytime fevers are more characteristic of acute bacterial infections, not the chronic course seen in TB.
B. Weight gain is incorrect because individuals with active TB often experience weight loss. Chronic infection increases metabolic demands, and the infection itself can suppress appetite, leading to progressive wasting and muscle loss. Weight gain would be unusual in the context of active TB.
C. Blood-tinged sputum is correct because active pulmonary TB can cause cavitation of lung tissue, where necrotic lesions erode into pulmonary blood vessels. This results in hemoptysis, which may range from small streaks of blood in sputum to more significant bleeding. Hemoptysis is a hallmark of active TB and often signals advanced disease or tissue destruction. Other accompanying respiratory symptoms include persistent cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath, reflecting inflammation and airway involvement.
D. Increased appetite is incorrect because TB typically causes anorexia, a loss of appetite, as part of the systemic effects of chronic infection. Reduced food intake, combined with increased metabolic demands and catabolism due to the infection, contributes to weight loss and fatigue.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Decreased lung compliance and atelectasis is incorrect because these changes are associated with restrictive lung diseases, such as pulmonary fibrosis or ARDS, which limit lung expansion but do not typically cause wheezing. Wheezing is a sign of airway obstruction, not reduced lung compliance.
B. Pulmonary fibrosis and scarring is incorrect because fibrosis leads to stiff, noncompliant lungs and impaired gas exchange. Although it may cause shortness of breath, it does not directly cause wheezing, which results from narrowed airways.
C. Alveolar fluid accumulation and edema is incorrect because fluid in the alveoli, as seen in pulmonary edema or pneumonia, causes crackles (rales) and dyspnea, not wheezing. Wheezing occurs primarily in the bronchi and bronchioles, not the alveoli.
D. Airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction is correct because asthma is characterized by chronic airway inflammation, hyperresponsiveness, and bronchospasm. These processes narrow the small airways, leading to turbulent airflow during exhalation, which produces the high-pitched musical sound known as wheezing. Other asthma manifestations include coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath, often triggered by allergens, exercise, cold air, or respiratory infections.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. A normal breathing rate is incorrect because the normal adult respiratory rate is 12–20 breaths per minute at rest. Tachypnea exceeds this normal range, indicating an abnormally fast breathing pattern rather than normal respiration.
B. A slow respiratory rate is incorrect because a slow respiratory rate is termed bradypnea, not tachypnea. Bradypnea occurs when respiration falls below 12 breaths per minute in adults and may be caused by drug overdose, neurological injury, metabolic disorders, or severe hypothyroidism.
C. Cessation of breathing is incorrect because the absence of breathing is called apnea. Apnea can occur during sleep, respiratory arrest, or severe neurological compromise, and it is distinct from the rapid breathing seen in tachypnea.
D. Rapid breathing is correct because tachypnea is defined as an abnormally high respiratory rate, typically greater than 20 breaths per minute in adults at rest. Tachypnea is a compensatory mechanism that allows the body to increase oxygen intake and enhance carbon dioxide elimination in response to physiological stress or disease. Common causes include hypoxia, fever, metabolic acidosis, anxiety, pulmonary conditions (such as pneumonia or pulmonary embolism), heart failure, and pain. Clinically, tachypnea is an important early indicator of respiratory or systemic compromise and warrants prompt evaluation of underlying causes.
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