A patient presents with Addison disease. Serum sodium and potassium analyses are performed. What would the results reveal?

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Enhance your knowledge with the Ciulla Clinical Chemistry Test. Study with interactive quizzes, featuring flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question offers hints and explanations for better understanding. Prepare effectively and excel in your exam!

Multiple Choice

A patient presents with Addison disease. Serum sodium and potassium analyses are performed. What would the results reveal?

Explanation:
When adrenal cortex function is lost in Addison disease, aldosterone production falls. Aldosterone normally signals the kidneys to reabsorb sodium and excrete potassium. With its deficiency, you lose sodium in the urine (and along with it water), producing hyponatremia and volume depletion, while potassium is not excreted efficiently and builds up in the blood, causing hyperkalemia. So the expected serum pattern is low sodium with high potassium.

When adrenal cortex function is lost in Addison disease, aldosterone production falls. Aldosterone normally signals the kidneys to reabsorb sodium and excrete potassium. With its deficiency, you lose sodium in the urine (and along with it water), producing hyponatremia and volume depletion, while potassium is not excreted efficiently and builds up in the blood, causing hyperkalemia. So the expected serum pattern is low sodium with high potassium.

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