Short Case Study
Elena Hayes is a 64-year-old realtor. She has been admitted to the local medical center six times in the past 3 months with severe pancreatitis. Elena has been experiencing intractable vomiting and intense pain after eating. Her insurance will not cover home nutritional support. She is being transferred to a subacute nursing facility for therapy.
-The nutrition support team decides to increase the kcal in Ms. Hayes's total parenteral nutrition slowly to prevent ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Refeeding syndrome can occur if nutrition support is increased too rapidly, especially in patients with a history of malnutrition or a prolonged period of inadequate caloric intake. Symptoms include electrolyte imbalances, fluid overload, and cardiac arrhythmias. Slowly increasing Ms. Hayes's calorie intake will reduce the risk of refeeding syndrome. Hypoglycemia, an elevated white blood cell count, and weight gain are not directly related to this case.

Short Case Study Elena Hayes Is a 64-Year-Old Realtor. She Has Been Admitted