A 30-year-old patient seen in the emergency department for severe headache and acute confusion is found to have a serum sodium level of 118 mEq/L. The nurse will anticipate the need for which diagnostic test?
a. Urinary 17-ketosteroids
b. Antidiuretic hormone level
c. Growth hormone stimulation test
d. Adrenocorticotropic hormone level
ANS: B
Elevated levels of antidiuretic hormone will cause water retention and decrease serum sodium levels. The other tests would not be helpful in determining possible causes of the patient's hyponatremia.
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