Person's lab value shows cholesterol level 300 mg. The nurse advised to the person?

AIIMS Rishikesh & Jodhpur NO - 2017

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Medium

Appeared in: AIIMS Rishikesh & Jodhpur NO - 2017

Explanation

A total cholesterol level of 300 mg/dL is significantly elevated (normal is less than 200 mg/dL), indicating hypercholesterolemia.
The immediate priority is to obtain a complete lipid profile to assess the different types of cholesterol and fats in the blood.
The lipid profile breaks down total cholesterol into LDL (bad), HDL (good), and triglycerides, which is essential for accurately determining cardiovascular risk and guiding the appropriate treatment plan.
Advising a definitive diagnostic test is the correct first step before recommending specific lifestyle or dietary changes.

Option B: A low-salt diet is the primary dietary intervention for managing hypertension (high blood pressure), not directly for an isolated finding of high cholesterol.
Option C: A low-potassium diet is unrelated to cholesterol management. In fact, many heart-healthy foods (fruits, vegetables) are rich in potassium.
Option D: This option is incorrect because the advice for a low-salt and low-potassium diet is not appropriate for the given clinical finding of high cholesterol alone.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Nursing management and patient education for hypercholesterolemia helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses play a crucial role in interpreting screening results and educating patients on the importance of follow-up diagnostic tests for accurate diagnosis and management.
Patient education on lifestyle modifications, including a diet low in saturated fats, regular exercise, and smoking cessation, is a key nursing intervention for managing hypercholesterolemia.
What if? If the patient's lab report showed a cholesterol of 300 mg/dL AND a blood pressure of 160/100 mmHg, the nurse should advise checking a lipid profile AND recommend a low-salt diet, addressing both cardiovascular risk factors simultaneously.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key information in the question: a lab value of cholesterol 300 mg/dL.
Recognize that this value is significantly high compared to the normal range (less than 200 mg/dL).
Understand that a single high total cholesterol value is a screening result that requires further investigation.
Evaluate each option. Option A suggests a further diagnostic test (lipid profile), which is a logical next step to get more detailed information.
Analyze the other options. A low-salt diet (Option B) is for hypertension, and a low-potassium diet (Option C) is for kidney issues. These are not the primary interventions for high cholesterol.
Conclude that the most appropriate initial advice is to recommend the definitive test to guide treatment, which is the lipid profile.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Nursing management and patient education for hypercholesterolemia.
Stem keywords: cholesterol level 300 mg, lab value, nurse advised
Lead-in keywords: advised to
Clinical cues: Cholesterol 300 mg/dL is a critical lab value indicating high risk.

QLszMNTtn0b7GzJZufeK0z

E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 2 p. 142-144

E6 Nutrition Kumud Khanna 2e p. 322-324