You are performing an admission assessment on an older adult patient newly admitted for end-stage liver disease. What principle should guide your assessment of the patient's skin turgor?
A) Overhydration is common among healthy older adults.
B) Dehydration causes the skin to appear spongy.
C) Inelastic skin turgor is a normal part of aging.
D) Skin turgor cannot be assessed in patients over 70.
Ans: C
Feedback:
Inelastic skin is a normal change of aging. However, this does not mean that skin turgor cannot be assessed in older patients. Dehydration, not overhydration, causes inelastic skin with tenting. Overhydration, not dehydration, causes the skin to appear edematous and spongy.
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