NU371 HESI Case Study: Pathophysiology Practice Quiz With Complete Solutions

A man who was recently diagnosed with Huntington's disease asks the nurse if his adolescent son should be tested for the disease. What response is best for the nurse to provide? a) Autosomal dominant disorders, such as Huntington's, cannot be inherited from the parent. b) Genetic counseling should be obtained prior to undertaking any genetic testing procedure. c) Testing is needed in adolescents because of the risk of passing the gene to each offspring. d) Positive genetic testing may contribute to insurance discrimination that denies coverage. - ANSWER-b) Genetic counseling should be obtained prior to undertaking any genetic testing procedure. - Genetic counseling provides clients and families with facts to assist them in making informed decisions before any genetic testing procedure is undertaken. It also ensures that the client has voluntarily opted for the testing and not coerced and is also able to weigh the risks and benefits of knowing the result. After talking with the healthcare provider, a male client continues to have questions about the results of a prostatic surface antigen (PSA) screening test and asks the nurse how the PSA levels become elevated. The nurse should explain which pathophysiological mechanism? a) As the prostate gland enlarges, its cells contribute more PSA in the circulating blood. b) The PSA levels normally rise and fall, so multiple testings over time are necessary. c) Low PSA levels indicate that the prostate gland is not functioning properly. d) The PSA blood test is used to determine dosage for Viagra prescriptions. - ANSWER-a) As the prostate gland enlarges, its cells contribute more PSA in the circulating blood. - PSA is a glycoprotein found in prostatic epithelial cells, and elevations are used as a specific tumor markers. Elevations in PSA are related to gland volume, i.e., benign prostatic hypertrophy, prostatitis, and cancer of the prostate, indicating (tumor) cell load. PSA levels are also used to monitor response to therapy. When observing a client for symptoms of a large bowel obstruction, the nurse should assess for which finding? a) Distention of the lower abdomen. b) Nausea with profuse vomiting. c) Upper abdominal discomfort. d) Fluid and electrolyte imbalances. - ANSWER-a) Distention of the lower abdomen.