Question

An older adult client is brought to an emergency department by a family member. Which of the following assessment findings should cause the nurse to suspect that the client has hypertonic dehydration?

A) Increased skin turgor
B) Hypotension
C) Tachycardia
D) Increased urine output

Answer 1

Hypotension is an assessment finding that should prompt the suspicion of hypertonic dehydration in an older adult, as this condition indicates a loss of water with a resultant high concentration of solutes in the body fluids leading to reduced blood volume.

Step-by-step explanation:

An assessment finding that should cause the nurse to suspect that an older adult client has hypertonic dehydration is B) Hypotension. Hypertonic dehydration occurs when the body loses water with a higher osmotic pressure than the fluid remaining in the body, leading to a high concentration of solutes in body fluids. This condition can be a result of the injection of a hypertonic solution or excessive water loss from the body due to factors such as vomiting, prolonged diarrhea, or excessive urination. Symptoms of hypertonic dehydration can include hypotension, increased pulse rate, dry skin, thirst, confusion, and potentially collapse due to reduced blood volume and circulatory failure.