Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 71%
Full-length
The nurse is caring for a client with a history of alcoholism.
Correct answer
A
Rationale
A serum potassium of 3.2 mEq/L indicates hypokalemia, a life-threatening complication in chronic alcoholism due to poor nutrition and diuretic effects of alcohol, risking arrhythmias. Elevated AST reflects liver damage, but hypokalemia is more immediately dangerous.