A 62-year-old male with hypertension and kidney failure has weakness and palpitations; recent medication change; BGL 74 mg/dL. What should you suspect?

Study for the Medical FIDSAP v2 Test. Sharpen your skills with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your upcoming test!

Multiple Choice

A 62-year-old male with hypertension and kidney failure has weakness and palpitations; recent medication change; BGL 74 mg/dL. What should you suspect?

Low potassium often causes muscle weakness and heart rhythm changes, especially after a recent medication change that can promote potassium loss, such as a potassium-w wasting diuretic in a patient with kidney failure. The glucose value is not clearly indicating dangerous hypoglycemia with the reported symptoms, and hypoglycemia would typically present with trembling, sweating, or confusion rather than primarily weakness and palpitations. A stroke would usually show focal neurological signs like unilateral weakness or speech problems rather than generalized weakness and palpitations. Influenza is unrelated to these symptoms. So the presentation best points to low potassium from the new medication affecting potassium balance.

Low potassium often causes muscle weakness and heart rhythm changes, especially after a recent medication change that can promote potassium loss, such as a potassium-w wasting diuretic in a patient with kidney failure. The glucose value is not clearly indicating dangerous hypoglycemia with the reported symptoms, and hypoglycemia would typically present with trembling, sweating, or confusion rather than primarily weakness and palpitations. A stroke would usually show focal neurological signs like unilateral weakness or speech problems rather than generalized weakness and palpitations. Influenza is unrelated to these symptoms. So the presentation best points to low potassium from the new medication affecting potassium balance.

More practice questions