Emergency Procedures - NCLEX-PN

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Question

A 39-year-old man presents to the ER with weakness, confusion, and vertigo. His heart rate is 91 and bounding, blood pressure is , temperature is , and blood glucose is . He is non-diabetic, he is not on any medication, and he denies recreational drug use. Which of the following is the most likely cause of his symptoms?

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Answer

The most likely cause of his symptoms is hypoglycemia, which is defined as a blood glucose below in a non-diabetic patient. The symptoms of hypoglycemia include altered consciousness, tremors, weakness, vertigo, headaches, heart palpitations, and a bounding pulse.

A temperature of is not considered abnormal as it may reflect a normal variation in body temperature.

His blood pressure is slightly elevated, but it is unclear whether this is typical for him or whether this represents a significant change from his normal blood pressure. Regardless it would not likely be sufficiently elevated to cause his symptoms.

It is also possible he may be experiencing a panic attack, but in the presence of his depressed blood sugar (and absence of signs of anxiety), hypoglycemia is the most likely cause of his symptoms.

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