01
True or false
1 point
A low serum sodium result necessarily means that the patient’s total-body sodium stores are depleted.
Free Practice Quiz Question List
4 Electrolyte Imbalances Online Quiz Questions
Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 4 Electrolyte Imbalances, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.
20 questions
02
Written response
1 point
A stable patient has an unexpectedly high potassium result from a hemolyzed blood sample. What is the term for a falsely elevated potassium result caused by the sample?
03
Choose one
1 point
A patient with ongoing gastrointestinal losses has weakness and a low serum potassium. Which ECG finding is consistent with hypokalemia?
- A
Peaked T waves and QRS widening
- B
Flattened T waves and prominent U waves
- C
QT shortening and tall P waves
- D
PR shortening and ST elevation
04
Fill in the blank
1 point
Parathyroid hormone raises serum calcium and increases renal ; vitamin D increases intestinal absorption of calcium and .
05
Written response
1 point
Hyperkalemia is commonly defined as a serum potassium concentration above what threshold?
06
True or false
1 point
In emergency treatment of hyperkalemia, IV calcium can stabilize cardiac membranes without lowering the serum potassium concentration.
- A
True
- B
False
07
Choose all
1 point
A patient with severe hypokalemia cannot take oral medication and requires IV potassium. Select all appropriate safety practices.
- A
Dilute IV potassium and infuse it at a controlled rate
- B
Give IV potassium by push if the level is very low
- C
Check renal function and repeat potassium levels
- D
Never administer potassium by IV push
08
Fill in the blank
1 point
After prolonged malnutrition, can precipitate a cellular phosphate shift.
09
Choose one
1 point
A patient with low albumin has a low total calcium result, but the symptoms do not fit hypocalcemia. Which next step best clarifies whether biologically active calcium is low?
- A
Diagnose hypocalcemia from the total calcium alone
- B
Assume the low total calcium proves calcium stores are depleted
- C
Measure ionized calcium because low albumin can lower total calcium without lowering ionized calcium
- D
Treat immediately with IV calcium based only on the total calcium result
10
Choose all
1 point
A patient with impaired renal function has been using magnesium-containing laxatives. Select all findings or actions consistent with concern for increasing magnesium toxicity.
- A
Diminished deep-tendon reflexes
- B
Hyperreflexia
- C
Bradycardia and hypotension
- D
Stop magnesium sources and assess breathing and cardiovascular status
11
Choose one
1 point
A patient with severe hyponatremia is receiving active treatment. Which complication is the main reason sodium must not be raised too quickly?
- A
Cerebral edema from an overly rapid sodium increase
- B
Osmotic demyelination from an overly rapid sodium increase
- C
Kidney stones from a slow sodium increase
- D
Hypoglycemia from a controlled sodium increase
12
Choose one
1 point
A patient with hypernatremia of unknown duration is in shock. Which approach best reflects the priorities for treatment?
- A
Begin rapid free-water replacement before assessing circulation
- B
Lower serum sodium as quickly as possible regardless of duration
- C
Restrict all fluids until the sodium is normal
- D
Restore circulation first, then replace free water with a gradual plan if duration is chronic or unknown
13
Open ended
1 point
A patient’s potassium remains low despite replacement, and testing reveals low magnesium. Describe how the magnesium abnormality affects management and what assessment, treatment, and monitoring considerations are appropriate.
14
Written response
1 point
A patient's serum sodium is being assessed for hyponatremia. Below what threshold, in mEq/L, is the serum sodium concentration defined as hyponatremia?
15
Choose one
1 point
A patient with low albumin has a low total calcium result, but the symptoms do not fit hypocalcemia. Which next step best clarifies whether the biologically active calcium is actually low?
- A
Treat the total calcium result as proof of low biologically active calcium.
- B
Measure ionized calcium to determine whether biologically active calcium is low.
- C
Use the albumin result to conclude that calcium balance is normal.
- D
Measure phosphate instead, because it directly determines the total calcium result.
16
Choose one
1 point
A patient with prolonged malnutrition develops low serum phosphate soon after nutrition is restarted. Which mechanism best explains this change?
- A
Reduced kidney excretion caused by the return to eating
- B
Increased phosphate release from bone during refeeding
- C
Movement of phosphate into cells during refeeding and insulin response
- D
A direct increase in intestinal phosphate absorption
17
Choose one
1 point
A patient with impaired renal function has been using magnesium-containing laxatives and develops lethargy and bradycardia. Which additional finding would best fit worsening magnesium toxicity?
- A
Diminished deep-tendon reflexes
- B
Prominent U waves
- C
Perioral tingling with hyperreflexia
- D
Peaked T waves
18
True or false
1 point
True or false: When hypokalemia remains difficult to correct, an accompanying magnesium deficiency may be contributing.
- A
True
- B
False
19
Choose one
1 point
A stable patient has an unexpected high potassium result from a hemolyzed sample and no other evidence of an emergency. What is the best next step?
- A
Start emergency potassium-lowering treatment immediately based only on the result.
- B
Promptly repeat a carefully collected sample while assessing the patient and clinical context.
- C
Dismiss the result because hemolysis confirms that the patient's potassium is normal.
- D
Wait for symptoms to appear before reassessing the result.
20
Written response
1 point
A patient has tingling around the mouth, muscle cramps, and hyperreflexia, and testing confirms low ionized calcium. What electrolyte disorder best explains these findings?