🩺 Nursing Question of the Day

Challenge yourself with one exam-style nursing question every day.

✅ Think carefully • ✅ Choose your answer • ✅ Then scroll down to check the explanation.

🩺 Acute Pancreatitis and Hypocalcemia

✅ Answer: (C) Hypocalcemia

📖 What is Acute Pancreatitis?

Acute = Sudden onset.
Pancreatitis = Inflammation of the pancreas.

👉 Acute pancreatitis occurs when pancreatic enzymes become activated within the pancreas, causing inflammation and tissue damage.

📖 What is Hypocalcemia?

Hypo = Low.
Calcemia = Calcium level in the blood.

👉 Hypocalcemia means the serum calcium level is lower than normal (typically < 8.5 mg/dL).

In acute pancreatitis, released fatty acids bind with calcium (fat saponification), causing blood calcium levels to fall.

🩺 Why is Option (C) Correct?

The patient has two classic signs of hypocalcemia:

• ✔ Perioral numbness (tingling around the mouth)
• ✔ Prolonged QT interval on ECG

Other common manifestations include:

• ✔ Muscle cramps
• ✔ Tetany
• ✔ Positive Chvostek’s sign
• ✔ Positive Trousseau’s sign
• ✔ Seizures in severe cases

👉 Therefore, the electrolyte imbalance is Hypocalcemia.

❌ Why Other Options Are Wrong?

(A) Hyperkalemia
❌ Usually causes muscle weakness and ECG changes such as tall peaked T waves, not prolonged QT interval or perioral numbness.

(B) Hypermagnesemia
❌ Causes decreased reflexes, hypotension, and respiratory depression rather than tetany or prolonged QT interval.

(D) Hypernatremia
❌ Produces intense thirst, confusion, and neurological symptoms but is not associated with perioral numbness and prolonged QT interval.

📝 Signs of Hypocalcemia

📌 Exam Tip: Hypocalcemia is a classic complication of acute pancreatitis. Remember the key clues: perioral tingling, muscle spasms, positive Chvostek’s and Trousseau’s signs, and a prolonged QT interval. Severe hypocalcemia may require intravenous calcium gluconate.