Author Question: A 55-year-old female tells the nurse that she is noticing a slight tremor of her left hand when at ... (Read 63 times)

tingc95 · **on:** Jul 22, 2018

A 55-year-old female tells the nurse that she is noticing a slight tremor of her left hand when at rest. The client is concerned that she has Parkinson's disease since her mother had the illness and passed away because of respiratory failure.

Which of the following should the nurse respond to this client? 1. It is unlikely that you have the same illness as your mother..
2. Having a first-degree relative with the illness can increase your chance of developing it as well..
3. You probably do not have it since your mother was probably exposed to a toxin that caused the disease..
4. You should not worry, since it has a higher prevalence in males..

Question 2

A client is admitted with signs and symptoms of early Alzheimer's disease. The nurse expects the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is based on which of the following?

1. Abnormal CT scan findings of neuritic plaques and tangles in the brain
2. Positive blood tests for beta-amyloid and tau proteins
3. Client history, physical examination, and neuropsychological test results
4. Biopsy of brain tissue

randomguy133 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

2. Having a first-degree relative with the illness can increase your chance of developing it as well..

Rationale:
Inheritance may influence the risk of Parkinson's disease with first-degree relatives of patients being twice as likely to develop the disease as those without a first-degree relative with the disease. The nurse should not tell the client that it is unlikely she has the same illness as her mother. Exposure to toxins is one theory for the development of the illness; however, the nurse has no way of knowing if the client's mother was exposed to toxins or if that was the cause for the disease. Parkinson's disease occurs equally in males and females. Two percent of adults over age 65 have the diagnosis.

Answer to Question 2

3. Client history, physical examination, and neuropsychological test results

Rationale:
The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is based on the client history, a physical examination, and neuropsychological testing. There currently is no one test or procedure that makes the diagnosis. The symptoms are verified by laboratory and diagnostic testing to exclude any other possible cause for the symptoms the client is experiencing. Changes in the brain with Alzheimer's disease include neurotic plaques containing beta-amyloid protein and neurofibrillary tangles containing tau protein, but these changes are found at autopsy, not with a CT scan. There are no blood tests available for Alzheimer's disease, and brain biopsies are not performed.