NURS 711 Week 3 Quiz Questions and Answers Graded A+
What do patterns of breathing indicate in brain dysfunction? - Answers They help evaluate the
level of brain dysfunction and coma.
What is the normal response of breathing to hyperventilation? - Answers Hyperventilation
lowers arterial CO2 levels, and the individual continues to breathe regularly but with reduced
depth.
What happens during post-hyperventilation apnea? - Answers Respirations cease after
hyperventilation lowers arterial CO2 levels, and rhythmic breathing resumes after PaCO2 returns
to normal.
What characterizes Cheyne-Stokes breathing? - Answers A smooth increase in breathing rate
and depth followed by a decrease to apnea, with the hyperpneic phase lasting longer than the
apneic phase.
What conditions are associated with Cheyne-Stokes breathing? - Answers Bilateral dysfunction
of deep cerebral structures, supratentorial injury, medically-induced coma, and congestive heart
failure.
What is central reflex hyperpnea? - Answers A sustained deep rapid breathing pattern with
decreased PaCO2, often resulting from CNS damage involving the lower midbrain and upper
pons.
What is apneusis? - Answers A prolonged inspiratory cramp characterized by a pause at full
inspiration, often associated with pontine infarction.
What defines cluster (Biot) breathing? - Answers A disordered sequence of breaths with
irregular pauses between them, indicating dysfunction in lower pontine and high medullary
areas.
What is ataxic breathing? - Answers Completely irregular breathing with random shallow and
deep breaths and irregular pauses, originating from primary dysfunction of the medulla.
What does gasping breathing indicate? - Answers A pattern of 'all-or-none' breaths with a slow
respiratory rate, indicative of a failing medullary respiratory center.
What is delirium? - Answers An acute confusional state or acute organic brain syndrome
characterized by disorders of awareness, which can be transient or persistent.
What are the premorbid risk factors for delirium? - Answers Advanced age, comorbidities, frailty,
low educational level, visual/hearing deficits, substance use, poor nutrition, depression, and
history of dementia.
What are precipitating risk factors for delirium? - Answers Surgical stress, severe medical
,illness, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, febrile illness, acute kidney injury, liver dysfunction,
uncontrolled diabetes, heart failure, seizures, stroke, and substance withdrawal.
What hospital-related factors can contribute to delirium? - Answers Pain, infection, immobility,
metabolic disorders, prolonged ileus, invasive devices, blood transfusions, sensory
overload/deprivation, prolonged length of stay, and lack of family communication.
What treatment-related factors can lead to delirium? - Answers Opioids, benzodiazepines,
anticholinergics, polypharmacy, sleep deprivation, day-night disorientation, deep sedation,
physical restraint, and prolonged ventilation.
How does neuronal aging contribute to delirium? - Answers It increases astrocyte and microglial
activity, leading to brain inflammation and neurodegenerative disease.
What role do reactive oxygen species (ROS) play in cognitive decline? - Answers ROS damage
myelin sheaths and cerebral tissues, potentially leading to irreversible or persistent delirium.
What are the four types of delirium? - Answers Hyperactive, hypoactive, mixed, and excited
delirium syndrome.
What symptoms characterize hyperactive delirium? - Answers Restlessness, irritability,
insomnia, hallucinations, delusions, and incoherent conversation.
What is excited delirium syndrome (ExDS)? - Answers A severe form of delirium that can lead to
sudden death, characterized by combativeness, rapid breathing, severe agitation, and unusual
strength.
What is the System Integration Failure Hypothesis (SIFH) in relation to delirium? - Answers It
connects the pathology of network dysconnectivity and dysfunction with five pathological
precipitants of delirium.
What are the five pathological precipitants of delirium according to SIFH? - Answers Neuronal
aging, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and circadian
dysregulation.
How can chronic sleep deprivation affect cognitive function? - Answers It increases
proinflammatory cytokines and cortisol levels, leading to cognitive alterations and delirium.
What are some conditions associated with ExDS (Exertional Dehydration Syndrome)? - Answers
Hypoglycemia, thyroid storm, certain kinds of seizures, cocaine, methamphetamine intoxication,
and catecholamine-induced fatal arrhythmias.
What is the most common form of delirium? - Answers Hypoactive delirium.
What are common symptoms of hypoactive delirium? - Answers Decreased mental function,
alertness, attention span, perception, interpretation of environment, reaction to environment,
, forgetfulness, confusion, apathy, slow speech, and frequent dozing.
What is the highest risk associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment of delirium? - Answers
The highest rate of death.
What is mixed delirium? - Answers A combination of hyperactive and hypoactive symptoms that
can fluctuate.
What characterizes terminal delirium? - Answers Terminal restlessness or agitation occurring in
the final stages of dying, with abnormal neurotransmitter functions.
What are some non-pharmacologic measures to treat delirium? - Answers Turning lights low,
minimizing noise, playing soothing music, and orienting individuals to their surroundings.
What pharmacologic interventions may be used for agitated forms of delirium? - Answers
Antipsychotics such as Risperidone, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, and Haloperidol.
What is dementia? - Answers Acquired deterioration and progressive failure of many cerebral
functions, including impairment in orientation, memory, language, judgment, and decision-
making.
What are some reversible causes of dementia? - Answers Infections (like encephalitis and
meningitis), nutritional deficiencies (like Vitamin B1 and B12), and certain medications.
What are some irreversible causes of dementia? - Answers Neurodegenerative disorders such
as Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia.
What genetic factors are associated with Alzheimer's disease? - Answers Early onset is linked to
autosomal dominant mutations in APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2; late onset is associated with the
risk gene apoE4.
What are the clinical manifestations of Alzheimer's disease? - Answers Memory loss,
disorientation, loss of facial recognition, and progressive cognitive and language impairments.
What is the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease? - Answers Neuronal degeneration, alpha-
synuclein inclusions (Lewy bodies), and loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra.
What are the two types of Parkinson's disease? - Answers Primary (familial) and secondary
(caused by other neurodegenerative diseases or acquired disorders).
What are some common symptoms of Parkinson's disease? - Answers Tremors, rigidity,
bradykinesia, and postural instability.
What is the role of alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease? - Answers It forms Lewy bodies,
which are characteristic of the disease.
What is the significance of the GBA gene in Parkinson's disease? - Answers It is a susceptibility
What do patterns of breathing indicate in brain dysfunction? - Answers They help evaluate the
level of brain dysfunction and coma.
What is the normal response of breathing to hyperventilation? - Answers Hyperventilation
lowers arterial CO2 levels, and the individual continues to breathe regularly but with reduced
depth.
What happens during post-hyperventilation apnea? - Answers Respirations cease after
hyperventilation lowers arterial CO2 levels, and rhythmic breathing resumes after PaCO2 returns
to normal.
What characterizes Cheyne-Stokes breathing? - Answers A smooth increase in breathing rate
and depth followed by a decrease to apnea, with the hyperpneic phase lasting longer than the
apneic phase.
What conditions are associated with Cheyne-Stokes breathing? - Answers Bilateral dysfunction
of deep cerebral structures, supratentorial injury, medically-induced coma, and congestive heart
failure.
What is central reflex hyperpnea? - Answers A sustained deep rapid breathing pattern with
decreased PaCO2, often resulting from CNS damage involving the lower midbrain and upper
pons.
What is apneusis? - Answers A prolonged inspiratory cramp characterized by a pause at full
inspiration, often associated with pontine infarction.
What defines cluster (Biot) breathing? - Answers A disordered sequence of breaths with
irregular pauses between them, indicating dysfunction in lower pontine and high medullary
areas.
What is ataxic breathing? - Answers Completely irregular breathing with random shallow and
deep breaths and irregular pauses, originating from primary dysfunction of the medulla.
What does gasping breathing indicate? - Answers A pattern of 'all-or-none' breaths with a slow
respiratory rate, indicative of a failing medullary respiratory center.
What is delirium? - Answers An acute confusional state or acute organic brain syndrome
characterized by disorders of awareness, which can be transient or persistent.
What are the premorbid risk factors for delirium? - Answers Advanced age, comorbidities, frailty,
low educational level, visual/hearing deficits, substance use, poor nutrition, depression, and
history of dementia.
What are precipitating risk factors for delirium? - Answers Surgical stress, severe medical
,illness, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, febrile illness, acute kidney injury, liver dysfunction,
uncontrolled diabetes, heart failure, seizures, stroke, and substance withdrawal.
What hospital-related factors can contribute to delirium? - Answers Pain, infection, immobility,
metabolic disorders, prolonged ileus, invasive devices, blood transfusions, sensory
overload/deprivation, prolonged length of stay, and lack of family communication.
What treatment-related factors can lead to delirium? - Answers Opioids, benzodiazepines,
anticholinergics, polypharmacy, sleep deprivation, day-night disorientation, deep sedation,
physical restraint, and prolonged ventilation.
How does neuronal aging contribute to delirium? - Answers It increases astrocyte and microglial
activity, leading to brain inflammation and neurodegenerative disease.
What role do reactive oxygen species (ROS) play in cognitive decline? - Answers ROS damage
myelin sheaths and cerebral tissues, potentially leading to irreversible or persistent delirium.
What are the four types of delirium? - Answers Hyperactive, hypoactive, mixed, and excited
delirium syndrome.
What symptoms characterize hyperactive delirium? - Answers Restlessness, irritability,
insomnia, hallucinations, delusions, and incoherent conversation.
What is excited delirium syndrome (ExDS)? - Answers A severe form of delirium that can lead to
sudden death, characterized by combativeness, rapid breathing, severe agitation, and unusual
strength.
What is the System Integration Failure Hypothesis (SIFH) in relation to delirium? - Answers It
connects the pathology of network dysconnectivity and dysfunction with five pathological
precipitants of delirium.
What are the five pathological precipitants of delirium according to SIFH? - Answers Neuronal
aging, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and circadian
dysregulation.
How can chronic sleep deprivation affect cognitive function? - Answers It increases
proinflammatory cytokines and cortisol levels, leading to cognitive alterations and delirium.
What are some conditions associated with ExDS (Exertional Dehydration Syndrome)? - Answers
Hypoglycemia, thyroid storm, certain kinds of seizures, cocaine, methamphetamine intoxication,
and catecholamine-induced fatal arrhythmias.
What is the most common form of delirium? - Answers Hypoactive delirium.
What are common symptoms of hypoactive delirium? - Answers Decreased mental function,
alertness, attention span, perception, interpretation of environment, reaction to environment,
, forgetfulness, confusion, apathy, slow speech, and frequent dozing.
What is the highest risk associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment of delirium? - Answers
The highest rate of death.
What is mixed delirium? - Answers A combination of hyperactive and hypoactive symptoms that
can fluctuate.
What characterizes terminal delirium? - Answers Terminal restlessness or agitation occurring in
the final stages of dying, with abnormal neurotransmitter functions.
What are some non-pharmacologic measures to treat delirium? - Answers Turning lights low,
minimizing noise, playing soothing music, and orienting individuals to their surroundings.
What pharmacologic interventions may be used for agitated forms of delirium? - Answers
Antipsychotics such as Risperidone, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, and Haloperidol.
What is dementia? - Answers Acquired deterioration and progressive failure of many cerebral
functions, including impairment in orientation, memory, language, judgment, and decision-
making.
What are some reversible causes of dementia? - Answers Infections (like encephalitis and
meningitis), nutritional deficiencies (like Vitamin B1 and B12), and certain medications.
What are some irreversible causes of dementia? - Answers Neurodegenerative disorders such
as Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia.
What genetic factors are associated with Alzheimer's disease? - Answers Early onset is linked to
autosomal dominant mutations in APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2; late onset is associated with the
risk gene apoE4.
What are the clinical manifestations of Alzheimer's disease? - Answers Memory loss,
disorientation, loss of facial recognition, and progressive cognitive and language impairments.
What is the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease? - Answers Neuronal degeneration, alpha-
synuclein inclusions (Lewy bodies), and loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra.
What are the two types of Parkinson's disease? - Answers Primary (familial) and secondary
(caused by other neurodegenerative diseases or acquired disorders).
What are some common symptoms of Parkinson's disease? - Answers Tremors, rigidity,
bradykinesia, and postural instability.
What is the role of alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease? - Answers It forms Lewy bodies,
which are characteristic of the disease.
What is the significance of the GBA gene in Parkinson's disease? - Answers It is a susceptibility
