Final answer:
Additional findings in a patient with peritonitis may include abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and darkening of urine. Severe complications like disseminated intravascular coagulation can lead to a life-threatening situation, requiring immediate medical attention. Observation for signs of shock is also critical in assessment.
Step-by-step explanation:
When assessing a patient with peritonitis who presents with tachycardia, hypotension, and dehydration, you would also anticipate additional findings such as abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation due to the inflammation within the peritoneal cavity. Darkening of urine upon standing may be observed if dehydration continues to be a factor, and the patient might also exhibit cardiovascular abnormalities. Further severe complications from peritonitis can include fever, jaundice, hypotension, and potentially life-threatening conditions like disseminated intravascular coagulation, which can lead to kidney failure and death if not promptly treated.
Given the severe and acute presentation of symptoms such as abdominal distension, which can be exemplified by an increased abdominal circumference due to fluid accumulation as in the case of a child with an infection causing liver and blood vessel damage, immediate medical attention is required. These symptoms, combined with the clinical picture of shock, exemplified by restricted peripheral blood flow leading to cool, clammy skin, and shallow, rapid breathing, suggest that the patient is in a critical state and needs urgent assessment and management to prevent further decline.