Which assessment findings are expected in a patient experiencing a left hemispheric brain attack?

A. Obesity, age over 40, and female gender: While obesity and age can be risk factors for GERD, gender alone is not a significant factor. Excessive alcohol consumption, as indicated in option D, is a stronger link to GERD.

B. Accelerated gastric emptying: This is incorrect. GERD is more commonly associated with delayed gastric emptying or increased acid production rather than accelerated gastric emptying.

C. Incompetent rectal sphincter: This is incorrect. GERD is associated with an incompetent lower esophageal sphincter, not the rectal sphincter.

D. Drinking 12 cans of beer per day: Excessive alcohol consumption can relax the lower esophageal sphincter and increase the risk of GERD by allowing stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus.

A. Positive Brudzinski's sign: A positive Brudzinski's sign, which involves involuntary flexion of the hips and knees when the neck is flexed, is a common finding in meningitis (both viral and bacterial).

B. Dysarthria and double vision: These symptoms are not typical of viral meningitis; they are more often associated with neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis.

C. Petechiae and purpura: These are more commonly associated with bacterial meningitis, particularly meningococcal meningitis, rather than viral meningitis.

D. Positive Babinski's reflex: A positive Babinski’s reflex indicates an upper motor neuron lesion and is not specific to meningitis.