An 82-year-old woman was brought to the emergency department by her granddaughter. She is a widow and lives alone, although her granddaughter checks on her daily. She has been vomiting for 2 days and has not been able to eat or drink anything during this time. She has not urinated for 12 hours. Physical examination reveals the following: temperature (T) = 99.6°F (37.6°C) orally; pulse (P) = 110 beats/min, weak and thready; blood pressure (BP) = 80/52 mm Hg. Her skin and mucous membranes are dry, and there is decreased skin turgor. The client states that she feels very weak. The following are her laboratory results:
Sodium
138 mEq/L
Potassium
3.7 mEq/L
Calcium
9.2 mg/dL
Magnesium
1.8 mg/dL
Chloride
99 mEq/L
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
29 mg/dL
The nurse recognizes that the client is displaying symptoms associated with which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The client's symptoms of vomiting, inability to eat or drink, not urinating for 12 hours, weak and thready pulse, low blood pressure, dry skin and mucous membranes, decreased skin turgor, and elevated BUN are indicative of hypovolemia, which is a state of decreased blood volume, often due to dehydration or fluid loss.

An 82-Year-Old Woman Was Brought to the Emergency Department by Her