BOF:
35
A 53
year old female presents with a history of rapid weight gain. There is no past
history of note.
On
examination she is centrally obese, with a prominent suprascapular pad of fat
. She is hirsute and has acne. BP 170/110. There are striae over her anterior
abdominal wall and she also has evidence of a proximal myopathy.
The
patient has routine investigations
Which
one of the following may occur in this condition?
a)
Hyperchloraemic metabolic acidosis
b)
Hypokalaemic metabolic alkalosis
c)
Hyperkalaemic metabolic acidosis
d)
Hyperkalaemic metabolic alkalosis
e)
Hypochloraemic metabolic acidosis
Answer: b)
The
clinical features would suggest that the patient has Cushing’s syndrome . In
this condition the patient may develop a hypokalaemic metabolic alkalosis due
to the mineralocorticoid effects of cortisol
Revision Tip
Revise
Cushing’s syndrome KEYS to SUCCESS in Medicine
page 50-52
