Mrs. Maroldo is an 81-year-old female who presents for evaluation of pain in her left lower quadrant. She has had this pain before and says she usually takes antibiotics and it goes away. However, this time it seems worse, and she has had it for 4 days even though she says she started taking her leftover antibiotics from the last episode. She denies any nausea or vomiting but says she simply isnt hungry. She had a little diarrhea yesterday but no bowel movements today. She has a temperature of 100.9F and a pulse of 104 bpm, respirations of 20 breaths per minute, and a blood pressure of 9460 mm Hg. She has some discomfort to deep palpation in the left lower quadrant. The AGACNP suspects

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Irritable bowel syndrome. Mrs. Maroldo's history of recurrent left lower quadrant pain that usually resolves with antibiotics suggests a chronic condition rather than an acute one like diverticulitis, appendicitis, or inflammatory bowel disease. Her lack of nausea, vomiting, and severe symptoms, along with the presence of diarrhea and no bowel movements, align more with irritable bowel syndrome. Additionally, her vital signs are not significantly elevated, ruling out acute conditions like appendicitis. Discomfort to deep palpation in the left lower quadrant is common in irritable bowel syndrome due to visceral hypersensitivity. Therefore, based on her chronic symptoms, lack of severe signs, and typical presentation, the most likely diagnosis is irritable bowel syndrome.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the term "carcinoma" specifically refers to neoplasms of epithelial origin. Epithelial cells line the surfaces and cavities of the body, so carcinomas originate from these tissues. This term does not describe internal structure (A), loss of growth regulation (B), or metaplastic adaptation (C). Carcinomas are the most common type of cancer and can occur in various organs such as the skin, lungs, breasts, and colon.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: FALSE. In preeclampsia, epigastric pain is typically associated with liver and/or HELLP syndrome, not hyperacidity. Hyperacidity is more commonly seen in conditions like gastritis or peptic ulcers. Therefore, severe epigastric pain in preeclampsia is not related to hyperacidity. Other choices are not applicable as they do not provide relevant information to the question.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D (All of the above) because preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure, proteinuria, and symptoms like severe headaches. High blood pressure is a hallmark sign, proteinuria indicates kidney damage, and severe headaches can be a symptom of worsening preeclampsia. Therefore, all three signs are crucial for diagnosing preeclampsia. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect individually because they do not encompass all the key signs necessary for diagnosing preeclampsia.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because maternal stress can indeed lead to low birth weight, increase the risk of preterm labor, and affect brain development in the fetus. Stress hormones can interfere with the placental function, affecting the transfer of nutrients to the fetus and leading to low birth weight. Stress can also trigger early contractions, potentially resulting in preterm labor. Furthermore, maternal stress can impact fetal brain development through the release of stress hormones that can alter the development of the fetal brain structures. Therefore, all of the choices (A, B, and C) are correct in demonstrating the impact of maternal stress on fetal development.