Question

A 40-year-old Asian-American man presents with a 3-day history of nausea and vomiting. He notes his health is good. He was started on a new medication 1 month ago for a positive PPD. What is a true statement regarding this patient?

1. His kidney functions would be abnormal
2. His AST and ALT would be elevated
3. His GGT would be normal
4. He should be getting blood work at 3 and 9-month intervals for possible drug toxicity
5. He is suffering from gastroparesis from a drug-induced neuropathy

Answer 1

The true statement regarding this patient is that his AST and ALT would be elevated. AST and ALT are enzymes found in the liver, and when the liver is damaged, their levels increase in the bloodstream.

Step-by-step explanation:

A true statement regarding this patient is that his AST and ALT would be elevated. AST and ALT are transaminases that are enzymes found in the liver. When the liver is injured or damaged, these enzymes are released into the bloodstream, causing their levels to increase. Therefore, in this patient with symptoms of nausea and vomiting, it would be expected to find elevated AST and ALT levels.

Other options provided in the question are not necessarily associated with the patient's presentation. Kidney functions (option 1) would not necessarily be abnormal in this case, and GGT (option 3) may or may not be normal depending on the cause of the liver dysfunction. The patient does not need blood work at specific intervals (option 4) unless there are specific indications for it. Finally, there is no mention of gastroparesis (option 5) as a possible explanation for the patient's symptoms.