Question

Lab Results

Glucose 85 mg/dL Calcium 9.1 mg/dL
Sodium 142 mEq/L Potassium 2.9 mEq/L Chloride 101 mEq/L
Which lab finding would concern you, and why?
A. Hypoglycemia. The patient could go into shock and convulse.
B. Hypernatremia. The Na is too high and this reacts with digoxin. It could contribute to an overdose of the drug.
C. Hypokalemia, can put the patient at risk of digoxin toxicity. Conversely, if potassium is high it can decrease the effect of digoxin.
D. Hypercholemia. The patient could go into metabolic acidosis.

Answer 1

Hypokalemia, or abnormally decreased blood levels of potassium, would be a lab finding that could be concerning. Imbalanced potassium levels can affect various bodily functions and put the patient at risk of digoxin toxicity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The lab finding that would concern me is hypokalemia, which is abnormally decreased blood levels of potassium. This can put the patient at risk of digoxin toxicity. Conversely, if potassium is high, it can decrease the effect of digoxin. Imbalanced potassium levels can impair the function of skeletal muscles, the nervous system, and the heart. Symptoms of hypokalemia may include mental confusion, numbness, and weakened respiratory muscles.