A Patient Who Has Been Drinking Heavily for 3 Years

question 1

Multiple Choice

A patient who has been drinking heavily for 3 years seeks medical care. What should the nurse realize about alcohol withdrawal syndrome when caring for this patient?

• A) Alcohol is a stimulant that increases gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
• B) The neurotransmitters inhibit impulses on the neurons.
• C) The CNS has become accustomed to the depressant effects of the alcohol, and CNS excitability develops when alcohol is no longer present.
• D) The neuroreceptors in the brain can begin to initiate a chemical reaction of normalcy.

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Definitions:

Conductor

A device or material that permits current to flow through it easily.

Circular Mil

An area measure of wire determined by squaring the diameter of the wire in mils (1 mil = 0.001 inch). Example: A wire with a diameter of 0.020 inch would have a circular mil area of 400 cmil (20 x 20 = 400).

Radius

A straight line from the center to the circumference of a circle or sphere.

Diameter

A straight line passing from side to side through the center of a body or figure, especially a circle or sphere, measuring the overall distance across.