Question # 2 of 30 A patient presents with symptoms including excessive thirst, confusion, muscle twitching, and restlessness. Which electrolyte imbalance is the most likely cause of these symptoms?
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Case Study: Part A Sodium is an incredibly important substance in our body. You may remember from Module 1 that sodium ions play a crucial role in conducting nerve impulses during depolarization. You may also remember from Biology 20 that sodium is involved in muscle contractions. Hyponatremia is a condition where there is too little sodium in the body. This can result in difficulty processing thoughts, nausea, decreased ability to balance, seizures, and coma. On the other hand, an excessive amount of sodium or hypernatremia in the body can also lead to many different neurological problems, including seizures and coma. Katrina has an excessive amount of sodium ions in her blood plasma. This is occurring despite the fact that she had been watching her salt intake and ensuring that she's drinking enough fluid throughout the day. From what you have learned in this module, which hormone imbalance is causing this problem for Katrina? Explain your reasoning. (2 marks)
Maitreya E.
An 84-year-old nursing home resident was seen in the emergency department with the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, decreased respiration, hypotension, and low pulse rate (46). Physical examination showed the skin was warm to the touch and flushed. Admission laboratory data are found in Case Study Table 15-3.1. Questions 1. What is the most likely cause for the patient's symptoms? 2. What is the most likely cause for the hypermagnesemia? 3. What could be the cause for the hypocalcemia? CASE STUDY TABLE 15-3.1 LABORATORY RESULTS RESULT REFERENCE RANGE Serum Total protein 5.6 g/dL 6.0-8.0 g/dL Albumin 3.0 g/dL 3.5-5.0 g/dL Total Ca2+ 8.2 g/dL 8.6-10.0 g/dL BUN 45 mg/dL 5-20 mg/dL Creatinine 2.3 mg/dL 0.7-1.5 mg/dL Mg2+ 4.0 mmol/L 0.63-1.0 mmol/L Plasma Na+ 129 mmol/L 136-145 mmol/L K+ 5.3 mmol/L 3.4-5.0 mmol/L Cl- 96 mmol/L HCO3- 16 mmol/L
Sri K.
JB is a 62-year-old female who visited her primary care physician. Her symptoms included muscle cramps, weakness, and dizziness, as well as gastrointestinal distress (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea). Her previous medical history includes diabetes mellitus and progressively impaired renal function. Her physician withdrew blood for a series of lab tests. The results indicated that the patient had a serum potassium level of 6.2 mmol/L. Other serum electrolytes were within the normal ranges. Questions: 1. What types of cells are affected by changes in membrane potential? 2. Initially, the changes in membrane potential led to the development of muscle cramps in the patient. How has the excitability of the skeletal muscle fibers been affected? 3. The most serious effect of hyperkalemia is cardiac arrest. Is it likely that the heart will stop beating during a heartbeat (while the cardiac muscle is stimulated to contract) or in between beats? Why?
Supreeta N.
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