A patient presents to the emergency department complaining of increased urine output.The patient has been drinking alcohol and is still visibly impaired.He is aware of his condition and apologizes,stating that he has never gotten drunk before and if he survives he never will again,but he knows that if he drinks too much he will lose potassium and die.The nurse realizes that the patient is dealing with:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ethyl alcohol decreases ADH release,which is why people urinate frequently when they drink alcoholic beverages.Antidiuretic hormone acts on the kidneys,causing them to reabsorb water.With ADH stimulation a patient will experience a decrease in urinary output; volume is returned to systemic circulation,diluting the blood and decreasing osmolarity.Insensible water loss is continuous and nonperceptual.Lungs expire water daily through respiration.Angiotensin II causes vasoconstriction of many blood vessels,which helps regulate blood pressure,and it stimulates the release of aldosterone,which assists fluid homeostasis.

A Patient Presents to the Emergency Department Complaining of Increased