Question

A 15-year-old girl is brought to the emergency room by her mother, concerned that her daughter has lost weight over the past 2 months to the point her clothes don't fit anymore. The patient has a medical history significant for asthma. She was previously diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and recently joined a dance team at school. The mother reports the patient is quite busy and no longer eats meals with the family. The emergency department physician suspects an eating disorder and consults psychiatry with consultation question of whether to admit the patient to the medical unit versus sending her home with follow-up to the eating disorders clinic. For a patient with an eating disorder, which of the following indicators would lead you to strongly recommend inpatient medical admission?

A. Significant decrease in daily dietary intake
B. Significant weight loss in a short time
C. Junctional bradycardia on EKG
D. Continued exercise despite weight loss
E. A blood pressure of 100/70 mm Hg

Answer 1

Significant weight loss in a short time, significant decrease in daily dietary intake, and continued exercise despite weight loss are indicators that may lead to a strong recommendation for inpatient medical admission for a patient with an eating disorder.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a patient with an eating disorder, there are several indicators that may lead to a strong recommendation for inpatient medical admission. One of these indicators is significant weight loss in a short time (option B). This is a concerning sign because it may indicate severe malnutrition and can have serious health consequences. Other indicators that may point towards inpatient admission include significant decrease in daily dietary intake (option A) and continued exercise despite weight loss (option D). Both of these factors can further exacerbate the patient's nutritional deficiency and put their health at risk.