A patient with a history of adrenal insufficiency presents to an ambulatory clinic with complaints of diarrhea and vomiting. Considering the patient's history and current symptoms, the nurse will instruct the patient to increase his intake of:
A) Sodium until the gastrointestinal symptoms improve
B) Potassium until the gastrointestinal symptoms improve
C) Glucose until the gastrointestinal symptoms improve
D) Calcium until the gastrointestinal symptoms improve
Ans: A
Feedback: The patient will need to supplement his dietary intake with added salt during episodes of gastrointestinal losses of fluid through vomiting and diarrhea to prevent the onset of Addisonian crisis. While the patient may experience the loss of other electrolytes, the major concern is the replacement of lost sodium.
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