The family history of a client recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder reveals several ancestors with the same diagnosis. What additional information should the nurse look for in this pedigree?

Question

Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
1. How many of the affected ancestors were also alcoholics?
2. Were there unaffected relatives who had elevated mood levels?
3. How many of the affected relatives had children?
4. Did any unaffected relatives have other psychosocial dysfunction?
5. How many of the unaffected female relatives held jobs outside the home?

Answer 1

2,4
Rationale 1: There is no evidence to suspect that these two disorders occur together.
Rationale 2: The genetic susceptibility to bipolar disorder may manifest in symptomatology that does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Rationale 3: This fact would be interesting only in that relatives who did not have children could not pass the tendency to the next generation.
Rationale 4: The genetic susceptibility to bipolar disorder may manifest in symptomatology that does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Rationale 5: There is no connection between being female and holding a job outside the home and the development of bipolar disorder.