Question

The nurse and nursing student are caring for a client undergoing a severe stressor with release of epinephrine into the bloodstream. The nurse teaches the student that epinephrine will cause which effect on blood glucose levels?

a. Blood glucose will elevate.
b. Hypoglycemia will occur.
c. An unusable form of glucose will be released.
d. Gluconeogenesis will occur.

Answer 1

The release of epinephrine during stress results in an elevation of blood glucose levels (option a) by stimulating glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis to provide energy for the body.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is correct in teaching that the release of epinephrine during a stress response causes an elevation of blood glucose levels. This effect occurs because epinephrine triggers the liver and skeletal muscle to convert glycogen into glucose (a process known as glycogenolysis) and also stimulates the liver to perform gluconeogenesis, which is the synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. Therefore, under the influence of epinephrine, there is an increase in available glucose in the bloodstream, providing additional energy required for dealing with the stressor.