Which electrolyte abnormality is commonly observed in ulcerative colitis?

Prepare for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Test. Study with interactive quizzes and detailed explanations. Boost your exam readiness with our diverse question formats and in-depth content coverage.

Multiple Choice

Which electrolyte abnormality is commonly observed in ulcerative colitis?

Explanation:
In ulcerative colitis with frequent diarrheal stools, potassium is lost in the stool in large amounts. That GI loss lowers serum potassium, so hypokalemia is the common electrolyte abnormality. When someone is volume-depleted from diarrhea, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is activated, which increases potassium excretion in the kidneys and worsens hypokalemia. Hyperkalemia would be unlikely unless there’s another issue like kidney failure or severe acidosis. Sodium disturbances can occur, but hypernatremia isn’t the typical pattern here. Magnesium loss can happen with diarrhea, but the classic finding most clinicians expect in UC-related diarrhea is low potassium.

In ulcerative colitis with frequent diarrheal stools, potassium is lost in the stool in large amounts. That GI loss lowers serum potassium, so hypokalemia is the common electrolyte abnormality. When someone is volume-depleted from diarrhea, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is activated, which increases potassium excretion in the kidneys and worsens hypokalemia. Hyperkalemia would be unlikely unless there’s another issue like kidney failure or severe acidosis. Sodium disturbances can occur, but hypernatremia isn’t the typical pattern here. Magnesium loss can happen with diarrhea, but the classic finding most clinicians expect in UC-related diarrhea is low potassium.

More practice questions
Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy