Which laboratory result for a patient with multifocal premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) is most important for the nurse to communicate to the health care provider?
a. Blood glucose 243 mg/dL
b. Serum chloride 92 mEq/L
c. Serum sodium 134 mEq/L
d. Serum potassium 2.9 mEq/L
ANS: D
Hypokalemia increases the risk for ventricular dysrhythmias such as PVCs, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. The health care provider will need to prescribe a potassium infusion to correct this abnormality. Although the other laboratory values also are abnormal, they are not likely to be the etiology of the patient's PVCs and do not require immediate correction.
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