Elyrolyte

A 22-year-old female is hospitalized after a car accident. She sustained a hip fracture, fractures of several ribs and a blunt abdominal injury that required a laparotomy. The laparotomy revealed a liver laceration and extensive hemoperitoneum. In the early postoperative period, the patient is noted to have hyperactive deep tendon reflexes. Which of the following electrolyte abnormalities may be responsible for this condition?

A 27-year-old woman presents to the emergency room with a panic attack. She appears healthy except for tachycardia and a respiratory rate of 30. Electrolytes include calcium 10.0 mg/dL, albumin 4.0 g/dL, phosphorus 0.8 mg/dL, and magnesium 1.5 mEq/L. Arterial blood gases include pH of 7.56, PCO2 21 mm Hg, and PO2 99 mm Hg. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the hypophosphatemia?

) A 3-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department three hours after having a seizure. He has been having severe diarrhea for the last three days. His mother recently read about the importance of maintaining adequate hydration during diarrhea, so she had been giving him a lot of milk mixed with water. On examination, his vital signs are stable and mucus membranes are moist. Initial lab results are: Hb 13 g/dl, WBC 6,000/mm3, Platelets 300,000/mm3, Blood Glucose 98 mg/dl, Serum Na 120 mEq/L, Serum K 3.4 mEq/L, Chloride 92 mEq/L, BUN 22 mg/dl, Creatinine 1.2 mg/dl. What is the most likely cause of this patient's seizure?

A 32-year-old pregnant female is being evaluated at her 32nd week of gestation. Her lab profile shows the following: Blood pH 7.44, PaO2 100 mmHg, PaCO2 30 mmHg, HCO3- 20 mEq/L, WBC count 9,000/cmm, Hb 11 mg/dl, Na+ 134 mEq/L, K+ 3.6 mEq/1, Cl- 98 mEq/L, BUN 5 mg/dlCreatinine 0.6 mg/dl. Which of the following can best explain her acid-base status?

A 34-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after being involved in a motorbike accident. Examination shows a hematoma on the forehead and bleeding from his leg. His pupils are bilateral round and eactive; he has papilledema. He responds to pain, has decorticated posture and speaks incoherently. After the initial resuscitation you start the treatment with intravenous fluids, hyperventilation, head elevation and intravenous mannitol. Which of the following is the mechanism of action of hyperventilation in this patient?

A 52-year-old alcoholic man presents to the emergency department because of anxiety and tremors. His last drink of alcohol was 2 days ago. His initial electrolyte panel is: Sodium 132 mEq/L, Potassium 2.9 mEq/L, Chloride 100 mEq/L, Bicarbonate 25 mEq/L. He is treated for alcohol withdrawal, and given aggressive intravenous and oral potassium supplementation. Three days later, his electrolyte panel is: Sodium 135 mEq/L, Potassium 3.1 mEq/L, Chloride 102 mEq/L, Bicarbonate 28 mEq/L. Which of the following explains why this patient's potassium level is so difficult to correct?

A 55-year-old woman has been hospitalized because of recurrent pancreatitis, ARDS, prolonged ileus, and need for parenteral nutrition. She demonstrates weakness, lassitude, orthostatic hypotension, nausea, and fever. Which of the following abnormalities is most likely to explain these symptoms?

A 54-year-old woman presents to your office complaining of difficulty walking. She describes severe weakness and occasional pain in her thigh muscles. She has stumbled and fallen several times over the last week. Her past medical history is significant for hypertension treated with hydrochlorothiazide and metoprolol. She consumes two to three cans of beer on weekends. Her younger brother died of a neurological disease when he was 20 years old. Her mother suffers from hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Her heart rate is 90/min and blood pressure is 170/100 mmHg. Chest examination is within normal limits. A bruit is heard over the left carotid artery. Neurologic examination reveals hyporeflexia and decreased strength in all muscle groups. Her ESR is 12 mm/hr. ECG shows flat and broad T waves with occasional premature ventricular contractions. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's current complaints?

A 52-year-old male is referred to the neurology clinic for the evaluation of EEG abnormalities. He presented with rapidly increasing memory impairment, and denied any history of seizures or head trauma. The physical examination revealed no abnormalities, except a myoclonus. An extensive work-up ruled out the presence of any medical illness; however, the EEG report revealed sharp, triphasic and synchronous discharges. Which of the following abnormalities is most likely in this patient?

A 60-year-old woman with heart failure and normal renal function is started on furosemide (Lasix) 80 mg/day. She notices a good diuretic response every time she takes the medication. A few weeks later, she is feeling unwell because of fatigue and muscle weakness, but her heart failure symptoms are better. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for her muscle weakness?

A 62-year-old man has progressive symptoms of dyspnea, and more recently noticed difficulty lying supine. Examination shows an elevated JVP at 8 cm, with a third heart sound, pedal edema, and bibasilar crackles on auscultation. Which one of the following may be implicated in fluid retention for this condition?

A 64-year-old man presents to the emergency department with progressive exertional dyspnea that worsened after he contracted an upper respiratory infection. He also complains of bilateral ankle swelling. He has a 40 pack-year history of smoking. Physical examination reveals a mildly overweight patient in mild respiratory distress. Lung auscultation reveals bilateral wheezes and a prolonged expiratory phase. His white blood cell count is 14,500/mm3 and his hemoglobin level is 16 mg/dl. Arterial blood gas analysis reveals the following: pH 7.37, pO2 65mmHg, pCO2 60mmHg. Absence of marked acidosis in this patient is best explained by which of the following

) A 71-year-old man is brought to the ER after a witnessed tonic-clonic seizure. He is somnolent and intermittently combative on exam. No past medical history is available. His arterial blood gas (ABG) at room air is given below: pH 7.23, pCO2 69 mmHg, pO2 57 mmHg, HCO3 28 mmHg. Which of the following best explains the acid-base disturbances in this patient?

A 73-year-old Caucasian man is brought to the office by his daughter, who is concerned that he might be depressed. He is a retired surgeon, and has lived alone ever since his wife died a year ago. His daughter visits him every 6 months; she feels bad about not being able to visit him more frequently because her job and family keep her very busy. He denies having any feelings of sadness, guilt, weight loss, loss of appetite, suicidal ideation, deafness, vertigo, and decreased or blurred vision. His medical problems include hypertension, diabetes mellitus-type 2 and a myocardial infarction 10 years ago. His current medications are glyburide, aspirin and enalapril. He denies the use of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. His vital signs are within normal limits. He appears withdrawn, less energetic than usual, and walks stiffly. He sits with a stooped posture. He has a fixed facial expression, and his voice sounds monotonous. His deep tendon reflexes are 2+. Sensations and motor strength are normal. There is increased resistance to passive flexion. Which of the following types of gait is most likely to be present in this patient?