A nurse is assessing a client who reports numbness and tingling of their toes and exhibits a positive Trousseau's sign. Which of the following electrolyte imbalances should the nurse suspect?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Hyponatremia: While hyponatremia can cause neurological symptoms, such as confusion and seizures, it is not typically associated with a positive Trousseau's sign. Trousseau's sign is more specifically related to calcium imbalances. B. Hypocalcemia: A positive Trousseau's sign (a spasm of the hand and wrist when a blood pressure cuff is inflated) is a classic sign of hypocalcemia, which is low calcium levels in the blood. Numbness and tingling of the toes (paresthesia) are also common symptoms of hypocalcemia. C. Hyperkalemia: Hyperkalemia typically causes muscle weakness, fatigue, and potential cardiac arrhythmias, but it does not directly cause a positive Trousseau's sign or numbness and tingling in the extremities. D. Hypermagnesemia: Hypermagnesemia (high magnesium levels) typically causes symptoms such as muscle weakness, respiratory depression, and hypotension. It is not associated with a positive Trousseau's sign.