Salt, pickles and canned soups must be avoided in case of?

Appeared in: JSSH Staff Nurse - 2019

Explanation

Salt, pickles, and canned soups are all very high in sodium.
Excess sodium intake causes the body to retain water, which increases the volume of blood in the circulatory system.
This increased blood volume exerts more pressure on the walls of the arteries, leading to elevated blood pressure or hypertension.
Dietary guidelines for hypertension, like the DASH diet, strongly recommend restricting high-sodium foods to manage blood pressure effectively.

Option A: Anemia is typically caused by a deficiency in iron, vitamin B12, or folate, not by excess sodium. The dietary focus is on increasing the intake of these specific nutrients.
Option C: Hypoglycemia is a condition of low blood sugar. Management involves consuming fast-acting carbohydrates to raise glucose levels quickly. Sodium intake is not the primary concern.
Option D: Rickets is a bone disorder caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. Dietary management focuses on increasing the intake of these nutrients, not restricting sodium.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Dietary management of hypertension and the role of sodium as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A key nursing role in managing chronic diseases like hypertension is patient education on lifestyle modifications, especially diet.
Nurses must teach patients to read and understand nutrition labels to identify sodium content, empowering them to make informed choices and adhere to their prescribed diet.
What if? If a patient with hypertension also has chronic kidney disease (CKD), sodium restriction becomes even more critical, but they may also need to monitor potassium and phosphorus intake, requiring more complex dietary planning.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the common nutritional characteristic of the foods listed in the question: salt, pickles, and canned soups are all high in sodium.
Next, review the four medical conditions provided as options.
Analyze the pathophysiology of each condition and its relationship to sodium intake.
Recall that hypertension is directly linked to high sodium intake, as sodium causes fluid retention and increases blood pressure.
Evaluate the other options: Anemia (iron), Hypoglycemia (glucose), and Rickets (Vitamin D/Calcium) are unrelated to sodium management.
Conclude that the condition requiring avoidance of high-sodium foods is hypertension.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QhicpZEng7T757u_BNtrLP

E6 Nutrition Kumud Khanna 2e pp. 320-322, 321-323, 314-316

Practise the full JSSH Staff Nurse - 2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.