During an Assessment of a 32-Year-Old Patient with a Recent

question 51

Multiple Choice

During an assessment of a 32-year-old patient with a recent head injury, the nurse notices that the patient responds to pain by extending, adducting, and internally rotating his arms.His palms pronate, and his lower extremities extend with plantar flexion.Which statement concerning these findings is most accurate? This patient's response:

• A)Indicates a lesion of the cerebral cortex
• B)Indicates a completely nonfunctional brainstem
• C)Is normal and will go away in 24 to 48 hours
• D)Indicates decerebrate rigidity

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Definitions:

Drug Tolerance

A physiological state where the effectiveness of a drug decreases as a result of its repeated use, necessitating higher doses to achieve the same effect.

Abusing Drug

The misuse or overuse of drugs, typically for nonmedical purposes, which often leads to addiction or harm.

Physical Dependence

A physiological state of adaptation to a substance, characterized by the emergence of withdrawal symptoms when the substance is not taken.

Withdrawal

The process of reducing or eliminating the use of a substance to which one has become dependent, often resulting in uncomfortable or harmful physical or psychological effects.