A client is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Which pathophysiological process should the nurse use when providing the client with information about this disease prognosis?

It occurs as a complication of a spinal cord injury.

Muscle weakness is progressive, degenerative, and fatal.

Mental status changes occur late in the disease.

Autonomic nervous system and sensory changes occur.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Understanding the pathophysiological process of ALS is crucial for providing accurate information about the disease prognosis to the client. Here's why option B is the correct choice:

A) It occurs as a complication of a spinal cord injury:

This statement is incorrect. ALS is not a complication of a spinal cord injury. While both conditions involve motor neuron dysfunction, they have different etiologies and pathophysiological processes. ALS is characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness and atrophy, whereas spinal cord injury results from trauma to the spinal cord.

B) Muscle weakness is progressive, degenerative, and fatal:

Correct. ALS is characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness, atrophy, and eventual paralysis. The disease is relentless and fatal, typically within 2 to 5 years of diagnosis, although survival can vary widely among individuals. As motor neurons degenerate, voluntary muscle control is lost, eventually affecting the ability to speak, swallow, breathe, and move. Respiratory failure is the most common cause of death in ALS patients.

C) Mental status changes occur late in the disease:

While cognitive and behavioral changes can occur in some individuals with ALS, particularly in the later stages of the disease, they are not universal. ALS primarily affects motor neurons, leading to progressive muscle weakness and paralysis. However, some individuals may experience frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a type of cognitive impairment characterized by changes in behavior, personality, and language.

D) Autonomic nervous system and sensory changes occur:

ALS primarily affects motor neurons rather than sensory neurons or the autonomic nervous system. Sensory symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation are not typical features of ALS. Autonomic dysfunction, including changes in heart rate, blood pressure, or bowel and bladder function, is not a prominent feature of ALS.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness, and swelling in the joints, commonly affecting the big toe joint (first metatarsophalangeal joint). The primary pathophysiological process underlying gout involves the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in the joints and surrounding tissues. Here's an explanation of why option A is the correct answer:

A) Deposition of crystals in the synovial space of the joints produces inflammation and irritation:

Correct. Elevated levels of uric acid in the blood can lead to the formation of monosodium urate crystals, which then accumulate in the synovial fluid of joints, particularly in the big toe joint in many cases. These crystals trigger an inflammatory response, activating immune cells and causing swelling, redness, warmth, and severe pain in the affected joint. The inflammation and irritation result from the body's response to the presence of these crystals.

B) Chondrocyte injury destroys joint cartilage, producing osteophytes and joint inflammation:

This option describes a process more characteristic of osteoarthritis, where degeneration of joint cartilage leads to inflammation and the formation of osteophytes (bone spurs). Gout does not directly involve chondrocyte injury.

C) An immune complex and autoantibody deposition in connective tissue results in inflammation:

This process describes the pathophysiology of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, where immune complexes and autoantibodies contribute to inflammation and tissue damage. In gout, the inflammation is primarily triggered by the deposition of urate crystals rather than immune complex deposition.

D) An autoimmune inflammation involving IgG response to an antigen causes joint destruction:

This option describes the autoimmune process seen in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, where antibodies target specific antigens, leading to joint destruction. Gout is not an autoimmune disease, and joint destruction in gout is primarily due to inflammation caused by urate crystal deposition rather than autoimmune mechanisms.

A. Excessive urine output. B. Excessive fluid intake. C. Increased calcium reabsorption. D. Increased serum alkalinity.

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Renal calculi, also known as kidney stones, are solid masses made up of crystals that form in the kidneys due to various factors, including supersaturation of urine with stone-forming substances, inadequate urine volume, and conditions that promote crystal precipitation and retention in the urinary tract. Here's the breakdown of the pathological process contributing to the client's clinical presentation:

A) Excessive urine output:

Excessive urine output (polyuria) is not typically associated with the formation of renal calculi. In fact, low urine output (oliguria) or concentrated urine may increase the risk of stone formation by reducing the volume of urine available to dilute stone-forming substances.

B) Excessive fluid intake:

Excessive fluid intake is generally beneficial in preventing kidney stone formation by increasing urine volume and diluting stone-forming substances. Therefore, it is not likely to contribute to the development of renal calculi in this scenario.

C) Increased calcium reabsorption:

Correct. Increased calcium reabsorption in the renal tubules can lead to hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria, which are risk factors for the formation of calcium-containing kidney stones (calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate stones). Excessive calcium reabsorption may occur due to various factors, including hormonal imbalances (e.g., hyperparathyroidism) or medications that affect calcium metabolism.

D) Increased serum alkalinity:

Increased serum alkalinity (alkalosis) is not typically associated with the formation of renal calculi. Urinary pH may influence the formation of certain types of kidney stones (e.g., uric acid stones are more likely to form in acidic urine), but alkalosis alone is not a primary factor in stone formation.

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A client is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Which pathophysiological process should the nurse use when providing the client with information about this disease prognosis?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A client with a sudden onset of big toe joint pain and swelling is diagnosed with gout. Which pathophysiologic process is producing the symptoms of gout?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

The nurse is caring for an older client who is on complete bed rest. The nurse notes hematuria when the client suddenly reports excruciating pain that radiates from the back to the groin. Which pathological process has contributed to the client's clinical presentation of a possible renal calculi?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

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