An older man comes to a primary care setting,and his reason for seeking health care is to get a prescription for sildenafil (Viagra).Which of the following laboratory reports can help explain why this individual needs sildenafil?
A) Serum potassium 4.5 mEq/L
B) Prothrombin time 13 seconds
C) Alanine transferase (ALT) 50 units/L
D) Glycosylated hemoglobin (Hgb A1c) over 8%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Hgb A?c is an indicator of serum glucose control over the last 90 days.A Hgb A?c level over 8% indicates that this older adult had poor glucose control in that time frame.As a reliable indicator of hyperglycemia,it can indicate the reason this man experiences erectile dysfunction; hyperglycemia is associated with peripheral arterial disease.An erection occurs as the penile shaft becomes engorged with blood.This process can be impaired if the vessels are damaged from hyperglycemia because hyperglycemia damages the lining of blood vessels and leads to progressive occlusion of the damaged vessels.Many of the vessels involved in causing an erection are fine vessels and are among the first vessels occluded in arterial disease.The potassium level,the prothrombin time,and the ALT are all within normal limits.

An Older Man Comes to a Primary Care Setting,and His