A 69-year-old woman with Alzheimer disease is brought to the emergency department after getting lost while taking a walk in her neighborhood. Her son has been unable to contact the patient for the last 2 days, and today the police found her wandering in a park. The patient says that she drank water from a park fountain but has not had anything to eat for over 24 hours. On physical examination, she is mildly confused with dry mucous membranes. Laboratory studies show a blood glucose level of 92 mg/dL. Which of the following hormones binds to an intracellular receptor to help maintain this patient's laboratory findings within the normal range?

Question

A 69-year-old woman with Alzheimer disease is brought to the emergency department after getting lost while taking a walk in her neighborhood.  Her son has been unable to contact the patient for the last 2 days, and today the police found her wandering in a park.  The patient says that she drank water from a park fountain but has not had anything to eat for over 24 hours.  On physical examination, she is mildly confused with dry mucous membranes.  Laboratory studies show a blood glucose level of 92 mg/dL.  Which of the following hormones binds to an intracellular receptor to help maintain this patient's laboratory findings within the normal range?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: In a fasting state, glucagon and epinephrine bind to transmembrane receptors and prevent hypoglycemia by increasing hepatic glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.  Prolonged fasting increases the secretion of cortisol, a steroid hormone that binds to an intracellular receptor and acts to increase transcription of enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis, lipolysis, and proteolysis.

A 69-Year-Old Woman with Alzheimer Disease Is Brought to the Emergency