A nurse is preparing to administer an IV osmotic diuretic to a client with increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Which of the following should the nurse identify as the purpose of the medication?
To lower intracranial pressure by increasing urinary output.
To reduce cerebral blood flow.
To prevent the formation of cerebral edema.
To decrease brain oxygen consumption.
The Correct Answer is A
A. The primary purpose of administering an osmotic diuretic, such as mannitol, is to lower ICP by promoting diuresis, which results in increased urinary output and decreases fluid volume in the brain.
B. Osmotic diuretics do not specifically reduce cerebral blood flow; rather, they work by reducing fluid volume and thus intracranial pressure.
C. While osmotic diuretics can help manage edema, their primary role is not solely to prevent the formation of cerebral edema but to actively reduce existing pressure.
D. Osmotic diuretics do not directly decrease brain oxygen consumption; their main function is to create an osmotic gradient that pulls fluid from the brain to reduce ICP.
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Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Hormone replacement is generally used to supplement deficiencies rather than inhibit excess hormone release.
B. Dopamine agonists, such as bromocriptine, are used to inhibit the release of growth hormone from the anterior pituitary, which is beneficial in treating acromegaly, a condition caused by excess growth hormone.
C. Levothyroxine is a thyroid hormone replacement and is not effective in controlling pituitary hormone release.
D. Corticosteroids do not inhibit growth hormone release and are typically used to manage inflammation rather than for pituitary hormone control.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Chvostek's sign, a facial muscle spasm upon tapping, is a clinical indicator of hypocalcemia, often caused by accidental removal or damage to the parathyroid glands during thyroid surgery.
B. Hypercalcemia does not typically cause a positive Chvostek’s sign.
C. Hypokalemia affects muscle and cardiac function but does not result in a positive Chvostek’s sign.
D. Hyponatremia does not produce Chvostek's sign, which is specific to hypocalcemia.