An elderly patient reports having watery diarrhea for several days before coming to the clinic. This morning the patient is lethargic and confused. The nurse would assess this patient for which electrolyte imbalance?
1. Hypernatremia
2. Hyponatremia
3. Hypermagnesemia
4. Hyperkalemia
2
Rationale 1: Hypernatremia is associated with fluid retention and overload. It is unlikely that this patient has fluid volume overload.
Rationale 2: Watery diarrhea contributes to the loss of sodium. The lethargy and confusion are manifestations of a low serum sodium level.
Rationale 3: Hypermagnesemia is found in patients with renal failure or adrenal insufficiency. It is also seen in obstetric settings where women receive IV magnesium to decrease symptoms of pregnancy-induced hypertension.
Rationale 4: A patient with hyperkalemia is more likely to experience cardiac dysrhythmias.
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