A nurse is caring for a patient admitted with confusion, hyperreflexia, dysrhythmias, with a complaint of vomiting for the past 24 hours. After reviewing the patient's potassium level of 3.0, which of the following acid-base imbalances should the nurse expect?
Select one:
a. Respiratory Acidosis
b. Respiratory Alkalosis
c. Metabolic acidosis
d. Metabolic alkalosis
Answer:d) Metabolic alkalosis- Metabolic alkalosis occurs when the accumulation of the base and loss of acid from the extracellular fluid. Signs and symptoms include confusion, hyperreflexia, dysrhythmia, muscle twitching, tremors, nausea, vomiting. Vomiting causes metabolic alkalosis by the loss of gastric secretion which also causes hypokalemia.
Respiratory acidosis is due to excess co2 in the blood and not associated with hypokalemia and vomiting.
Respiratory alkalosis is not associated with vomiting.
Metabolic acidosis is related to increase acid production and not related to the above signs and symptoms.
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