Which vitamin deficiency causes beriberi disease?

Appeared in: Uttarakhand CHO - 2021

Explanation

Beriberi is the specific disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine, also known as vitamin B1.
Thiamine (B1) is a member of the water-soluble B-complex vitamins.
Therefore, a deficiency in the general category of Vitamin B leads to beriberi.
Thiamine is crucial for carbohydrate metabolism and energy production, which is why its deficiency severely affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Option A: Vitamin K deficiency impairs the blood's ability to clot, leading to bleeding disorders, not beriberi.
Option C: Vitamin A deficiency primarily affects vision, leading to conditions like night blindness and xerophthalmia (dry eyes).
Option D: Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, which is characterized by symptoms related to defective collagen synthesis, such as bleeding gums and poor wound healing.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Vitamin Deficiencies and Associated Diseases helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must educate patients, especially in at-risk groups, about the importance of a balanced diet with thiamine-rich foods like unpolished grains, legumes, and meat to prevent beriberi.
Identifying at-risk patients is a key nursing role. This includes individuals with chronic alcoholism, malnutrition, or those on long-term dialysis, who may require thiamine supplementation.
For patients with wet beriberi, nurses should prioritize cardiac and respiratory monitoring due to the risk of acute heart failure.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question, which is 'beriberi disease'.
Recall from your knowledge of nutrition and deficiency diseases that beriberi is specifically caused by a lack of thiamine.
Next, recall that thiamine is also known as Vitamin B1.
Examine the options provided. Option B, 'Vitamin-B', is the correct category that includes thiamine (B1).
Eliminate the other options by recalling the diseases associated with their deficiencies: Vitamin K (bleeding), Vitamin A (night blindness), and Vitamin C (scurvy).

Concept Tested & Keywords

QgCriT7Iazw1tiwILzXyaX

E6 textbook of Applied Biochemistry and Nutrition & DieteticsHarbans Lal (pp 26-464 of 479) p. 365-367

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 108-110

Practise the full Uttarakhand CHO - 2021

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