Endocrine Chaos
A child with a head injury develops polyuria, polydipsia, hypernatremia, and a urine specific gravity of 1.001. What disorder is occurring?
Diabetes Insipidus
A patient with DKA presents with polyuria, polydipsia, and hyperglycemia. What hormone deficiency caused the DKA?
Insulin deficiency
Weight loss, heat intolerance, tremors, and tachycardia are classic findings of this disorder.
Hyperthyroidism
Excess cortisol causes this endocrine disorder.
Cushing syndrome
Parathyroid hormone primarily regulates this electrolyte.
Calcium
A newborn presents with:
The nurse suspects congenital adrenal hyperplasia with this life-threatening form.
Salt-wasting syndrome
A DKA patient has K⁺ 5.8 on admission. Why is the potassium elevated?
Potassium shifting out of the cells due to lack of insulin
A patient with Graves disease develops fever 105°F, HR 180, and severe agitation. What endocrine emergency is occurring?
Thyroid storm
Moon face, buffalo hump, purple striae, and hyperglycemia are hallmark findings of this disorder.
Cushing syndrome
Positive Chvostek and Trousseau signs are associated with this condition.
hypocalcemia
A patient abruptly stops long-term corticosteroids and develops hypotension, weakness, and hyperkalemia. What condition is occurring?
Addisonian Crisis
A nurse receives the following orders for a DKA patient:
The patient's potassium is 2.8.
Which order should the nurse question?
Starting insulin before potassium replacement
A patient with severe hypothyroidism develops hypothermia, bradycardia, hypotension, and decreased LOC. What emergency is occurring?
Myxedema coma
Vomiting, dehydration, and weight loss in a newborn should make the nurse suspect this condition.
salt-wasting congenital adrenal hyperplasia
After thyroid surgery, a patient develops stridor. What complication should the nurse suspect?
severe hypocalcemia causing laryngospasm
A patient with Graves disease reports:
The nurse recognizes these symptoms are caused by excessive secretion of this hormone.
thyroid hormone (T3/T4)
DKA $500
A child with DKA has:
Four hours later:
Which finding is most concerning?
Headache and vomiting
A patient is admitted with thyroid storm.
Which assessment finding indicates the patient is deteriorating?
A. Tremors
B. Heat intolerance
C. New atrial fibrillation
D. Weight loss
C. New atrial fibrillation
A patient with a history of rheumatoid arthritis has taken prednisone daily for 8 years.
The patient is admitted for surgery.
The nurse reviews the chart and notices:
"Hold all corticosteroids."
The nurse should question this order because the patient is at risk for:
Addisonian crisis
A patient develops hypocalcemia after thyroid surgery.
Which assessment finding requires immediate intervention?
A. Tingling fingers
B. Positive Chvostek sign
C. Muscle cramps
D. Stridor
D. Stridor
A patient abruptly stops long-term corticosteroid therapy.
Within 24 hours they develop:
The nurse recognizes that chronic steroid use suppressed this endocrine system.
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
A DKA patient has:
Which provider order should the nurse question?
A. Start isotonic fluids
B. Begin insulin infusion
C. Administer sodium bicarbonate
D. Monitor potassium closely
C. Administer sodium bicarbonate
Two endocrine emergencies arrive simultaneously.
Patient A
Patient B
A patient with known Cushing syndrome has:
Which finding requires immediate intervention?
Temperature 102.2°F
A patient with hyperparathyroidism has:
Which complication is the nurse most concerned about?
Cardiac arrythmias