Monday, March 3, 2008

VizD Challenge Week of 3/3/08

A thin 25-year-old woman presents to your ED for generalized weakness. You do not find anything remarkable on your physical exam except the finding seen below.

(click on image to enlarge)
Questions:
1. What diagnosis do you suspect?
2. Which electrolyte is frequently abnormal in this condition and likely the cause of this patient's weakness?


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13 comments:

ohnohideitsjosh said...

1. Patient is bulemic
2. Hypokalemia

AMiB said...

bulimia nervosa
hyponatremia

JLAC44 said...

1. Bulimia Nervosa
2. Hypokalemia is causing the weakness.

Anonymous said...

seems red. with fatigue...
leukemia?

Lorelei Armstrong said...

Ah, bulimia. I'd look for a low potassium. And then I'd go out for a cheeseburger and fries.

Molly said...

Calcium?

Molly said...

Calcium?

Molly said...

To answer the first question further. If the person has periodontal disease it could be a predictor of either heart disease or diabetes. In the case of heart disease, they could have inadequate calcium (if they were taking calcium channel blockers this could cause their gums to grow over their teeth). In the case of diabetes, they may have hypernatremia (Na+ loss), which is followed by water loss. As a result of prolonged dehydration, they may have decreased salivary secretion which can increase plaque buildup and this causes periodontal disease. So I'm gonna go for the later, but everyone knows periodontal disease is an indicator of heart disease.

Anonymous said...

a. Eating disorder with vomitin (bulimia) b. Low potassium

overactive-imagination said...

My guess is Bulemia and the elctrolyte would be low potassium.

I guess you can tell I am a former dental assistant by the two questions I've answered, now in nursing school.

Love the blog.
Dawn

kingellakoko said...

1. Celiac disease
2. Calcium

kingellakoko said...

1. anorexia nervosa
2. potassium

Anonymous said...

Bulimia. Self induced emesis. Potassium would be low possibly leading to hear arrythmias.

Steve