An adolescent who is brought to the emergency department (ED) with a fever and persistent lower right quadrant abdominal pain is anxious, fearful, and hyperventilating.
The nurse anticipates the client developing which acid-base imbalance?

Choice A rationale:

This statement is incorrect. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is typically more severe than dysthymia and is characterized by recurrent episodes of severe depression lasting at least two weeks.

Choice B rationale:

This statement is incorrect. Dysthymia is not characterized by alternating episodes of mania and depression. It is a chronic, low-grade depressive disorder.

Choice C rationale:

This statement is incorrect. Dysthymia can impair social and occupational functioning, similar to MDD. Both conditions can have a significant impact on a person's daily life.

Choice D rationale:

This statement is accurate. Dysthymia is a chronic depressive disorder that lasts for at least two years but is generally less severe than MDD. It is characterized by persistent, milder symptoms of depression.

The correct answer isChoice D.

Choice A rationale:

Hypertension is not a contraindication for administering clonidine. In fact, clonidine is often used to treat hypertension.It works by decreasing the levels of certain chemicals in your blood, allowing your blood vessels to relax and your heart to beat more slowly and easily.

Choice B rationale:

An apical heart rate of 72 beats/minute is within the normal range (60-100 beats/minute) and would not be a contraindication for administering clonidine.Clonidine can lower heart rate, so it’s important to monitor heart rate, but a normal heart rate does not preclude its use.

Choice C rationale:

Muscle weakness is not a specific contraindication for the use of clonidine. While muscle weakness can be a side effect of many medications, it is not typically associated with clonidine.However, if a patient was experiencing severe or unusual muscle weakness, it would be important for the healthcare provider to evaluate this symptom.

Choice D rationale:

A blood pressure of 90/76 mm Hg could be a contraindication for the use of clonidine. Clonidine is a medication that is used to lower blood pressure, and if a patient’s blood pressure is already low, further lowering it could lead to symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, or even shock.Therefore, it would be important to monitor the patient’s blood pressure closely while they are taking this medication.