Question

A nurse is planning care for a client who has ascites secondary to liver disease, which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care?

a. limit sodium to 2,000 mg or less per day

b. restrict protein intake to less than 0.8 g/kg/day

c. decrease daily caloric intake by 20%

d. reduce complex carbohydrates to 30% of total calories.

Answer 1

In case of the patient with ascites secondary to liver disease the 2000 mg sodium-restricted diet is reported as effective in 90% of patients with cirrhosis & ascites. It is also advised to add on the diuretics.

Hence option A is correct nursing care plan in this case.

Reference:

Tahira Sidiq and Nilofer Khan. Nutrition as a Part of Therapy in the Treatment of Liver Cirrhosis. J Nutr Food Sci 2015, 5:S11