Practice Quiz

CMSRN Medical-Surgical Nursing

Category - Neuro/Muscular

Start a Study Session Sign up for Question of the Day
Martha, a 33-year-old school teacher, is admitted to the unit with symmetrical weakness of lower extremities. After testing, the physician’s diagnosis is Guillain-Barre syndrome. The pathophysiologic mechanism of this condition is:
  1. Demyelination and degeneration of the myelin sheath
  2. Pigmented neuron loss
  3. Defective impulse transmission between nerve and muscle cells
  4. An unexplained loss of basal ganglia cells
Explanation
Answer - A - The pathologic change that occurs in Guillain-Barre is the destruction of the myelin sheath that coats the axon of the peripheral nerves. Demyelination results in poor impulse conduction along neurons resulting in symmetrical muscle weakness that begins in the lower extremities and ascends to the upper extremities, torso, and then cranial nerves.
Was this helpful? Upvote!
Login to contribute your own answer or details
Start a Study Session Sign up for Question of the Day

Top questions

Related questions

Most popular on PracticeQuiz