A nurse is administering desmopressin to a client recovering from a head injury that increased pressure on the posterior pituitary gland

Question

The nurse recognizes that this form of artificial antidiuretic hormone (ADH) will have the most impact on which portion of the assessment?
1. Peripheral nervous system function, including reflexes
2. Cardiac function, including the conduction system
3. Urine output and blood pressure
4. The Glasgow coma scale

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: ADH does not impact the peripheral nervous system or reflexes.
Rationale 2: The conduction system is not affected, although heart rate speeds up in response to volume loss, and the blood pressure drops if the loss is extreme.
Rationale 3: ADH is essential to fluid balance. Lack of ADH causes a condition called diabetes insipidus. Untreated ADH results in death from shock.
Rationale 4: ADH does not directly affect the client's Glasgow coma scale.
Global Rationale: ADH is essential to fluid balance. Lack of ADH causes a condition called diabetes insipidus. Untreated ADH results in death from shock. The conduction system is not directly affected, although heart rate speeds up in response to volume loss, and the blood pressure drops if the loss is extreme. ADH does not impact the peripheral nervous system or reflexes and does not directly affect the client's Glasgow coma scale.