A nurse is caring for a client at a follow-up visit who has been taking lithium therapy for bipolar disorder.
Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse that the client is experiencing lithium toxicity?
Hypoglycemia.
Excess salivation.
Urinary retention.
Dysrhythmia.
The Correct Answer is D
Dysrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm that can be a sign of severe lithium toxicity.
Lithium toxicity can occur when a person takes too much lithium, a mood- stabilizing medication used to treat bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.
Choice A is wrong because hypoglycemia is not a symptom of lithium toxicity. Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar that can cause symptoms such as shakiness, sweating, hunger, and confusion.
Choice B is wrong because excess salivation is not a symptom of lithium toxicity. Excess salivation can be caused by various factors, such as infections, medications, or nerve damage.
Choice C is wrong because urinary retention is not a symptom of lithium toxicity. Urinary retention is the inability to empty the bladder completely, which can cause pain, discomfort, and infection. Lithium toxicity can actually cause increased urine output, not decreased.
Normal ranges for blood lithium levels are 0.6 to 1.2 mEq/L for maintenance therapy and 0.8 to 1.5 mEq/L for acute therapy. Levels above 1.5 mEq/L can cause mild to moderate toxicity, and levels above 2.0 mEq/L can cause severe toxicity. Levels above 3.0 mEq/L are considered a medical emergency.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
This is because the client has hypothyroidism, which means their thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Levothyroxine is a synthetic form of thyroid hormone that can replace the missing hormone and normalize the TSH level. The client’s TSH level is 8.9 mIU/L, which is above the normal range of 0.4 to 4.0 mIU/L. This indicates that the client’s current dosage of levothyroxine is insufficient and needs to be increased.
Choice A is wrong because thyroid ablation therapy is a treatment for hyperthyroidism, not hypothyroidism.
Thyroid ablation therapy involves destroying part or all of the thyroid gland with radioactive iodine or surgery, which reduces the production of thyroid hormone.
This would worsen the client’s condition and symptoms.
Choice C is wrong because lovastatin is a statin drug that lowers cholesterol levels. Hypothyroidism can cause high cholesterol levels, but this is usually corrected by levothyroxine therapy. Replacing lovastatin with cholestyramine, a bile acid sequestrant that also lowers cholesterol levels, would not address the underlying cause of hypothyroidism and would not improve the client’s TSH level.
Choice D is wrong because restricting the intake of iodized salt would not help the client with hypothyroidism. Iodine is an essential element for the synthesis of thyroid hormone, but most people in developed countries get enough iodine from their diet.
Hypothyroidism is usually caused by autoimmune disease, not iodine deficiency.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
The nurse should instruct the client to avoid bananas because they are one of the foods that can cause a cross-reaction with latex allergy. This means that people who are allergic to latex may also have an allergic reaction to bananas because they contain similar proteins.
Choice A is wrong because wheat is not a latex cross-reactive food.
Choice B is wrong because strawberries are a low or undetermined cross- reactive food.
Choice C is wrong because peanuts are a low or undetermined cross-reactive food.
Some other foods that the nurse should instruct the client to avoid are avocado, kiwi, chestnut, papaya, and potato. These foods have a high or moderate association with latex cross-reactions. The client should also be careful with other fruits and vegetables that may contain similar proteins to latex.
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