A Widow,aged 72 Years,lives Alone and Is Visited Weekly by Her

question 13

Multiple Choice

A widow,aged 72 years,lives alone and is visited weekly by her son.She takes digoxin,hydrochlorothiazide,and an antihypertensive drug.She also has a prescription for diazepam (Valium) as needed for moderate to severe anxiety.When the son visited today,he found his mother confused.Her speech was thick and slurred and she had an unsteady gait.She was taken to the emergency department,and hospital admission followed.The nurse assessed the patient as having several cognitive problems,including memory and attention deficits and fluctuating levels of orientation.The nurse confirms that the patient's symptoms developed over a 2-day period.The patient's symptoms are most characteristic of:

• A) delirium.
• B) dementia.
• C) amnestic syndrome.
• D) Alzheimer's disease.

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Definitions:

Career Changes

The act of moving from one profession or occupational field to another.

Anxiety Attacks

Sudden episodes of intense fear or panic, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and dizziness.

Temperamental Shyness

An innate personality trait characterized by feelings of nervousness or timidity in new situations or when interacting with new people.

Personality Traits

Characteristics that predict consistent patterns of behavior, thought, and emotional responses in individuals.