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NURS 6501: MIDTERM EXAM: Please contact Your Favorite Professor for help with NURS 6501: Midterm Exam or any other assignment. Email: professorrobertphd@gmail.com   A patient is brought to the clinic by their spouse, who reports that for several months, they have noticed the patient experiencing daytime sleepiness and fatigue. The nurse practitioner is concerned about obstructive sleep apnea. Which of the following would be diagnostically helpful for the nurse practitioner to inquire about from the spouse? Group of answer choices
  • Does your husband get out of breath when he walks short distances?
  • Does your husband have food allergies?
  • Does your husband get chest pain during physical exertion?
  • Does your husband snore?
  The correct answer is: Does your husband snore? Explanation: Snoring is a common and significant symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In OSA, the upper airway becomes partially or completely obstructed during sleep, leading to disrupted breathing and reduced oxygen levels. This intermittent obstruction can result in loud snoring, which is often observed by a bed partner or spouse. Why the other options are less relevant:
  • Does your husband get out of breath when he walks short distances?: While shortness of breath may occur in some cardiovascular or pulmonary conditions, it is not specifically a key indicator of obstructive sleep apnea. This symptom could be related to other causes like heart disease or lung issues.
  • Does your husband have food allergies?: Food allergies are unrelated to obstructive sleep apnea. Although allergies can sometimes contribute to nasal congestion, which could worsen sleep apnea, this is not the primary factor in diagnosing OSA.
  • Does your husband get chest pain during physical exertion?: Chest pain during exertion is a symptom more closely associated with cardiac issues, such as angina, rather than obstructive sleep apnea.
Conclusion: Inquiring about snoring is directly relevant to diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea, making it the most diagnostically helpful question for the nurse practitioner to ask.