Practice Question
You are caring for a 65-year-old male patient admitted to your medical unit 72 hours ago with a bowel obstruction. A nasogastric tube placed on admission has been on low intermittent suction ever since. Upon reviewing this morning's blood work, you notice that the potassium is below reference range. You recognize that the patient is at risk for what imbalance?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Alkalosis
Rationale:
🟣 Nasogastric suction removes acidic gastric secretions, causing the body to lose hydrogen ions (H⁺).
🟣 As acid is lost, the blood becomes more alkaline, leading to metabolic alkalosis.
🟣 The body attempts to compensate by retaining CO₂, but this may not fully correct the imbalance.
🟣 Hypokalemia further contributes to alkalosis because potassium and hydrogen ions shift between intracellular and extracellular spaces.
🟣 Therefore, metabolic alkalosis is the expected imbalance.
Acidosis
🟣 Acidosis occurs when the body retains acid or loses base, the opposite of what happens with NG suction.
🟣 Removing stomach acid directly causes a loss of H⁺, not an accumulation.
🟣 This answer contradicts the physiology of gastric suction.
🟣 Conditions such as diarrhea or DKA cause acidosis—not NG suction.
🟣 Therefore, this option is incorrect.
Hypoxia
🟣 Hypoxia refers to insufficient oxygen, which is unrelated to NG suction or potassium loss.
🟣 Electrolyte imbalances do not directly cause oxygen deprivation.
🟣 Hypoxia is a respiratory issue, not an acid–base imbalance.
🟣 There is no mechanism linking NG suction to oxygenation problems.
🟣 Therefore, hypoxia is not the expected outcome.
Hypercalcemia
🟣 Hypercalcemia is caused by endocrine disorders, malignancy, or prolonged immobility—not NG suction.
🟣 Calcium levels are not directly affected by gastric acid loss.
🟣 Potassium imbalance and acid loss have no predictable effect on calcium.
🟣 This option does not align with the patient’s clinical picture.
🟣 Therefore, hypercalcemia is not appropriate here.
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This question is from SDAP FALL 25 EXAM2 which contains 34 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: Examplify Exam(s)
- Domain: Medical-Surgical
- Answer Choices: 4