Question

The nurse is caring for an elderly patient who was admitted with renal insufficiency. The nurse realizes that with advance age often comes declining renal function. An expected laboratory finding for this patient may be:

a. an increased glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
b. a normal serum creatinine level.
c. increased ability to excrete drugs.
d. hypokalemia.

Answer 1

An elderly patient with renal insufficiency commonly exhibits a decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), accompanied by elevated serum creatinine levels due to reduced kidney function.

Therefore, None of the above is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

An expected laboratory finding for an elderly patient admitted with renal insufficiency would likely be a decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR). As renal function declines with age, the GFR typically decreases, which can be observed through measuring serum creatinine levels. Patients with compromised renal function often have difficulty in excreting drugs, leading to toxic accumulations. Therefore, they may exhibit elevated serum creatinine and potentially suffer from electrolyte imbalances such as hyperkalemia rather than hypokalemia. Normal serum creatinine levels and increased ability to excrete drugs are less likely in the context of declining renal function due to advanced age.