A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a newly licensed nurse about physiological changes in the digestive system that occur with aging. The nurse should include that older adults might experience which of the following physiological changes?
Decreased intestinal peristalsis
Decreased pH of the stomach
Increased muscle tone of the bowel
Increased gastric acid production
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason: With aging, there is a slight slowing in the movement of contents through the large intestine and a modest decrease in the contractions of the rectum when filled with stool, leading to decreased intestinal peristalsis.
Choice B reason: Aging does not typically result in a decreased pH of the stomach. Instead, conditions that decrease acid secretion, such as atrophic gastritis, become more common with age.
Choice C reason: Increased muscle tone of the bowel is not a change associated with aging. In fact, muscle tone may decrease, contributing to issues such as constipation.
Choice D reason: Increased gastric acid production is not a typical physiological change with aging. The secretion of stomach juices such as acid and pepsin has little effect on aging, although conditions that decrease acid secretion become more common.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta and then to the rest of the body, not
directly to the lungs.
Choice B reason: The pulmonary artery is the correct answer because it carries deoxygenated blood from the right
ventricle of the heart to the lungs for oxygenation.
Choice C reason: The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins, so it is not
involved in sending blood to the lungs.
Choice D reason: The pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium, not from the heart
to the lungs.
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Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: An upper GI endoscopy is typically performed to evaluate symptoms of persistent heartburn, as it allows direct visualization of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, which are commonly affected by conditions that cause heartburn.
Choice B reason: Flexible sigmoidoscopy is used to examine the lower part of the colon, which is not typically
associated with symptoms of heartburn.
Choice C reason: A colonoscopy is used to view the entire colon and is not the first choice for investigating heartburn,
as this symptom is not directly related to the colon.
Choice D reason: A lower GI series, or barium enema, is an X-ray examination of the large intestine, which includes the colon and rectum. It is not typically used to diagnose conditions that cause heartburn.
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