Question

14. Ms. Brown is an elderly woman with diabetes who was too ill to get out of bed for 2 days. She has had a severe cough and has been unable to eat or drink during this time. On admission her laboratory values show: Patient values: Sodium (Na+) 156 mEq/L Potassium (K+) 4.0 mEq/L Chloride (Cl–) 115 mEq/L Arterial blood gases (ABGs): pH - 7.30; PCO2 - 40; PO2 - 70; HCO3- - 20 Normal values: Sodium (Na+) 136-146 mEq/L Potassium (K+) 3.5-5.1 mEq/L Chloride (Cl–) 98-106 mEq/L Arterial blood gases (ABGs): pH 7.35-7.45 PCO2 45-35 mm Hg PO2 80-100 mm Hg HCO3- 22-26 mEq/L a. What type of water and solute imbalance does Ms. Brown have? (2 points) b. What symptoms would you expect to find? (8 points) c. What do her ABG’s mean?

Answer 1

1.what type of water and solute imbalance does Ms Brown has ?

Looking at the case the patient is having severe dehydration which has led to hypernatremia as evidenced by a serum sodium levels of 156 .it can be caused because of poor intake of food and water when the water concentration decreases in the body the electrolytes concentration increases in the body .

2.what symptoms do you find ?

Hypernatremia has symptoms like thirst,fatigue,weakness,lethargy.if left untreated hypernatremia can cause seizures,coma,reduced urine output,hypotension,death

3.what does the ABG interpret

The ABG shows a pH of 7.30 which is acidic normal pH of blood is 7.35-7.45

Hco3 Bicarbonate is 20 which is lower than normal 23-26 which shows it's metabolic

So the ABG shows that Ms Brown has metabolic acidosis primarily because of dehydration or starvation caused by she being diabetes .