A patient is extremely dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea causing his or her blood to become hypertonic. What effect does the nurse expect this will have on the red blood cells?

Question

A) They will swell and eventually rupture.
B) Red blood cells will migrate to the bone narrow.
C) The cells will shrink and shrivel, decreasing their oxygen-carrying ability.
D) The red cells will precipitate out of circulation.

Answer 1

C
Feedback:
A hypertonic solution will draw the water out of the red blood cell, causing it to shrink and shrivel, decreasing the oxygen carrying ability of the red blood cell. A hypotonic solution would result in water moving into the red blood cell, causing it to swell and burst. Red blood cells will not migrate back to the bone marrow or precipitate out of circulation.