Question

The elderly patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus presents to the clinic with a fever and productive cough. The diagnosis of pneumonia is made. You notice tenting skin, deep tongue furrows, and vital signs of 110/80 mm Hg, 120 beats/minute, and 24 breaths/minute. What assessment is important for you to obtain?

A. Blood glucose
B. Orthostatic blood pressures
C. Urine ketones
D. Temperature

Answer 1

It is critical to assess the elderly patient's blood glucose levels due to the stress of the illness impacting diabetes control. Monitoring orthostatic blood pressures can also provide insight into the severity of dehydration which demands prompt management.

Step-by-step explanation:

An elderly patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus presents with symptoms consistent with pneumonia. Given the clinical signs of dehydration such as tenting skin and deep tongue furrows, along with the patient's fever and productive cough, it is important to assess all the vitals but especially the blood glucose level. This is essential because the stress of illness can lead to elevated blood glucose levels, which can further complicate the patient's condition and require adjustment of diabetes management. Moreover, monitoring blood glucose is crucial in diabetes care to avoid complications such as hyperglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis. Additionally, assessing orthostatic blood pressures may be relevant due to the dehydration, as it could indicate the severity of the fluid loss and help guide treatment for rehydration.