Question

A nurse is admitting a ct who has DKA. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

a) Hyperglycemia
b) Metabolic alkalosis
c) Elevated serum insulin levels
d) Respiratory acidosis

Answer 1

A patient with Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is expected to exhibit hyperglycemia. DKA leads to the breakdown of fatty acids and the production of ketone bodies, causing metabolic acidosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse admitting a patient who has Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) should expect to find hyperglycemia. DKA is characterized by high blood glucose levels, as the body cannot effectively utilize glucose for energy due to insufficient insulin activity. As the cells are deprived of glucose, the body resorts to breaking down fatty acids for energy, leading to the accumulation of ketone bodies in the blood, which causes ketoacidosis.

Patients with DKA will not present with metabolic alkalosis, as this condition leads to metabolic acidosis, not alkalosis. They will also not have elevated serum insulin levels; quite the opposite as the lack of insulin is a fundamental problem in DKA. DKA is not associated with respiratory acidosis; instead, the respiratory system often responds with an increased breathing rate to compensate for the metabolic acidosis, resulting in a pattern known as Kussmaul respirations.