Mrs. Waltraud is receiving digoxin and Lasix daily. Today, she complains of nausea, and her apical pulse is 130 and irregular. Which of the following nursing interventions is the most appropriate?
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Solution
Hold the digoxin and check the patient’s potassium level.
Patient experiencing hypokalemia are at risk for digitalis toxicity. Nausea and irregular pulse are signs digitalis toxicity.
Jonas is admitted with 1,000 ml of diarrhea per day for the last 3 days. An IV of 0.45% NaCl mixed with 5% dextrose is infusing. Which of the following nursing interventions is the most appropriate?
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Solution
Check the patient’s potassium level and contact the doctor for IV additive orders.
Potassium is lost via the GI and renal systems. Prolonged or excessive diarrhea can lead to hypokalemia. In the event of hypokalemia, a potassium additive would likely be prescribed.
When chloride concentration drops below 95 mEq/L, reabsorption of which of the following electrolytes increases proportionally?
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Solution
bicarbonate
When chloride concentrations drop below 95 mEq/L, bicarbonate reabsorption increases proportionally, causing metabolic alkalosis. Other choices are cations, chloride is an anion; a cation must always exchange for a cation in order to maintain electrical neutrality.
Chloride is absorbed in the:
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Solution
bowel
Chloride is absorbed in the bowel, mainly the duodenum and jejunum.
Which of the following hormones helps regulate chloride reabsorption?
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Solution
aldosterone
Chloride reabsorption depends on sodium reabsorption, which is regulated by aldosterone in the distal tubule and collecting ducts.
Chloride helps maintain acid-base balance by performing which of the following roles?
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Solution
participating in the chloride shift
To maintain acid-base balance, chloride shifts into and out of red blood cells in exchange for bicarbonate.
Which of the following is a gas component of the ABG measurement?
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Solution
carbon dioxide
The gases measured by ABGs are oxygen and carbon dioxide. Bicarbonate and hydrogen are ions; their ratio is measured in the pH.
The lungs participate in acid-base balance by:
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Solution
using CO2 to regulate hydrogen ions
The lungs use carbon dioxide to regulate hydrogen ion concentration.
The respiratory system regulates acid-base balance by:
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Solution
using CO2 to regulate hydrogen ions
The lungs use carbon dioxide to regulate hydrogen ion concentration.
The presence of which of the following electrolytes contributes to acidosis?
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Solution
hydrogen
The presence of hydrogen ions determines a solution’s acidity.