What complication occurs when a person has Cushing syndrome?
Increased pigmentation of the skin
Increased weight loss
Decreased blood pressure
Decreased immune response
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A reason: Increased skin pigmentation is associated with Addison’s disease due to elevated ACTH stimulating melanocytes. Cushing syndrome, caused by excess cortisol, typically causes skin thinning and bruising, not hyperpigmentation. The excess cortisol does not directly affect melanin production, making this choice incorrect.
Choice B reason: Cushing syndrome leads to weight gain, not weight loss, due to cortisol’s promotion of fat deposition in central areas (e.g., abdomen, face). Increased appetite and altered metabolism contribute to obesity, not weight loss, making this choice incorrect as it contradicts the metabolic effects of hypercortisolism.
Choice C reason: Cushing syndrome often causes hypertension, not decreased blood pressure, due to cortisol’s mineralocorticoid effects, increasing sodium retention and vascular resistance. Decreased blood pressure is more associated with adrenal insufficiency, making this choice incorrect as it does not align with Cushing syndrome’s pathophysiology.
Choice D reason: Cushing syndrome, characterized by excess cortisol, suppresses the immune system by inhibiting inflammatory responses and reducing lymphocyte activity. This increases susceptibility to infections and impairs wound healing, making decreased immune response a hallmark complication, which is why this choice is correct.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Overproduction of parathyroid hormone causes hyperparathyroidism, leading to hypercalcemia and bone issues. Addison’s disease involves adrenal insufficiency, reducing cortisol and aldosterone, not parathyroid dysfunction, making this choice incorrect as it describes a different endocrine disorder unrelated to adrenal function.
Choice B reason: Lack of insulin production by the pancreas describes type 1 diabetes, not Addison’s disease. Addison’s disease affects the adrenal glands, causing deficiencies in cortisol and aldosterone, leading to metabolic and electrolyte imbalances, making this choice incorrect for the described condition.
Choice C reason: Addison’s disease is adrenal insufficiency, characterized by inadequate cortisol and aldosterone production due to adrenal gland damage (e.g., autoimmune). This leads to symptoms like fatigue, hypotension, and hyperkalemia, accurately describing the pathophysiology and making this the correct choice.
Choice D reason: Overproduction of growth hormone causes acromegaly or gigantism, not Addison’s disease. Addison’s involves adrenal hormone deficiency, not pituitary overactivity. Growth hormone excess affects growth and metabolism, not adrenal function, making this choice incorrect for Addison’s disease.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: Hepatitis A is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, often through contaminated water or food. Ingesting water with hepatitis A virus leads to acute liver infection, as the virus replicates in hepatocytes, making this the highest risk scenario.
Choice B reason: Hepatitis A is not typically transmitted via blood transfusion, unlike hepatitis B or C. It spreads through contaminated food or water, so blood transfusion poses minimal risk for hepatitis A, making this choice incorrect.
Choice C reason: A newborn born to a mother with cirrhosis is not at high risk for hepatitis A, as it is not congenitally transmitted. Cirrhosis may result from hepatitis but does not directly increase hepatitis A risk, making this incorrect.
Choice D reason: Intravenous drug use is a risk factor for hepatitis B and C due to bloodborne transmission. Hepatitis A spreads via the fecal-oral route, not needles, so drug use poses lower risk compared to contaminated water, making this incorrect.
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