A patient is being admited with a diagnosis of Cushing syndrome. Which findings will the nurse expect during the assessment?
Chronically low blood pressure
Bronzed appearance of the skin
Decreased axillary and pubic hair.
Pendulous Abdomen
The Correct Answer is D
Cushing syndrome is caused by excessive cortisol production by the adrenal glands, which can result in weight gain and redistribution of fat to the abdomen, giving it a characteristic rounded appearance.
The other options mentioned in the question are not typically associated with Cushing syndrome. Chronically low blood pressure is not typically seen in Cushing syndrome, as cortisol is a hormone that can raise blood pressure. A bronzed appearance of the skin is more commonly seen in conditions like Addison's disease, where there is a deficiency of cortisol. Decreased axillary and pubic hair is not a common finding in Cushing syndrome, although excessive hair growth (hirsutism) may occur due to the excess of androgens produced by the adrenal glands.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Cushing syndrome is caused by excessive cortisol production by the adrenal glands, which can result in weight gain and redistribution of fat to the abdomen, giving it a characteristic rounded appearance.
The other options mentioned in the question are not typically associated with Cushing syndrome. Chronically low blood pressure is not typically seen in Cushing syndrome, as cortisol is a hormone that can raise blood pressure. A bronzed appearance of the skin is more commonly seen in conditions like Addison's disease, where there is a deficiency of cortisol. Decreased axillary and pubic hair is not a common finding in Cushing syndrome, although excessive hair growth (hirsutism) may occur due to the excess of androgens produced by the adrenal glands.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
In acute adrenal insufficiency, also known as Addison's disease, the adrenal glands are unable to produce enough cortisol and aldosterone hormones. These hormones play an important role in regulating sodium and potassium levels in the body. Therefore, a patient with acute adrenal insufficiency may have low sodium and high potassium levels in their blood.
The goal of therapy is to replace the deficient hormones and normalize the electrolyte levels in the body. If the current therapies are effective, the nurse would expect to see an increase in the patient's serum sodium levels because of aldosterone replacement therapy. Therefore, option a is the correct answer.
Decreasing serum chloride levels and decreasing blood glucose levels are not directly related to the treatment of acute adrenal insufficiency. In fact, a patient with acute adrenal insufficiency may have low serum chloride levels and low blood glucose levels due to the lack of cortisol hormone.
Increasing serum potassium levels would be an indicator of ineffective treatment or inadequate aldosterone replacement therapy, as aldosterone helps to regulate potassium levels in the body.
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