Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 92%
Simulated
The nurse monitors a client prescribed a thiazide diuretic for which clinical manifestations of hypokalemia? Select all that apply.
Correct answer
B,C,D,E
Rationale
Hypokalemia is a serum potassium level less than 3.5 mEq/L. Clinical manifestations include ECG abnormalities such as ST depression, inverted T wave, prominent U wave, and heart block. Other manifestations include deep tendon hyporeflexia, general skeletal muscle weakness, decreased bowel motility and hypoactive to absent bowel sounds, shallow ineffective respirations and diminished breath sounds, polyuria, decreased ability to concentrate urine, and decreased urine specific gravity. Tall T waves and muscle twitches are manifestations of hyperkalemia.