Question

4. A patient presents with Trousseau’s sign and exhibits muscle spasms.

A) Which electrolyte(s) would most likely be altered in this patient?

B) How could you determine which electrolyte is affected in this patient?  (You can consider any symptoms that are specific to the electrolytes in question)

5.  While rotating in an emergency room, you decide to take the initiative and treat a patient without consulting the physician in charge. In this case, you have decided to administer a patient an IV that is alkaline in pH.  Upon administration, you notice the patient’s breathing pattern is altered.  

A) What type of breathing pattern would the patient exhibit after receiving that IV?  

B) What other compensation mechanisms may be used to bring his pH back to normal levels?

Answer 1

4.a)Calcium

This is due to hypocalcemia

b)Clinical manifestation of hypocalcemia are

parasthetias( tingling sensation) around mouth fingers toes

Muscle cramps

Tetany

Seizures

Chvotsek’s sign and Trosseasus sign

5)Metabolic alkalosis

Hypoventilation

Compensation for metabolic alkalosis occurs in the lungs where CO2 is retained through hypoventilation

And excretion of bicarbonate ions and retention of H+ ions