Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Overview of Genetics and Genomics in Nursing Related

Review Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Overview of Genetics and Genomics in Nursing related questions and content

Based on this information, what does the nurse suspect?

  • A. Huntington disease
  • B. Schizophrenia
  • C. Cerebrovascular accident
  • D. Alzheimers disease
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Nurses must be alert for family histories indicating that multiple generations are affected with the same condition or that onset of disease is earlier than expected. The patient's symptoms of forgetfulness, jerky movements, and a family history of early-onset memory loss in her mother suggest Alzheimer's disease, which can have a genetic component, especially with early onset. Huntington disease involves more pronounced movement disorders, schizophrenia is less likely given the physical symptoms, and there is no evidence of a cerebrovascular accident.