Question

A 48 year old female with Addison's disease is admitted to the hospital. When assessing the patient, the nurse would expect to:

a. Hirsutism
b. Edema and weight gain
c. fragile skin
d. hypoglycemia

Answer 1

The nurse would expect to see hyperpigmentation of the skin when assessing a 48-year-old female with Addison's disease. Other symptoms include extreme weakness, fatigue, low blood pressure, salt cravings, and low blood sodium levels. Treatment involves cortisol replacement therapy.

Step-by-step explanation:

When assessing a 48-year-old female with Addison's disease, the nurse would expect to see hyperpigmentation of the skin. This is a characteristic sign of Addison's disease and is caused by the reduced production of cortisol from the adrenal gland. Other symptoms of Addison's disease may include extreme weakness, fatigue, low blood pressure, salt cravings, and low blood sodium levels. Treatment involves cortisol replacement therapy.