Question

A nurse is caring for a client who has syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Which of the following findings should the nurse expect? (Select all that apply.)

A.) Decreased serum sodium
B.) Urine specific gravity 1.001
C.) Serum osmolality 230 mOsm/L
D.) Polyuria
E.) Increased thirst

Answer 1

In a client with SIADH, one would expect to find decreased serum sodium levels, low serum osmolality indicating diluted blood, and possibly increased thirst due to the body's response to the dilution. Urine specific gravity of 1.001 and polyuria are not consistent with SIADH.

Step-by-step explanation:

The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) is characterized by excessive release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) which leads to water retention and hyponatremia. As a result, the following findings should be expected in a client with SIADH:

• Decreased serum sodium levels because of the dilutional effect of retained water.
• Serum osmolality which would be low; as serum osmolality is a measure of solute concentration in the blood, a value such as 230 mOsm/L suggests a diluted blood state.
• Increased thirst may occur due to the body's response to the hyponatremia, even though the body is retaining water.

Conversely, a Urine specific gravity of 1.001 is indicative of very dilute urine, which is not consistent with SIADH where urine is typically concentrated because of the water reabsorption driven by ADH. Polyuria, or the excretion of an unusually large volume of urine, is also not typical for SIADH; this is more associated with conditions such as diabetes insipidus, where there is a lack of ADH.