American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Practice Test

Reynold's Pentad includes which additional symptoms beyond Charcot's triad?

1. Abdominal pain, tachycardia

2. Altered mental status, hypotension

3. Fever, elevated WBC count

4. Bradycardia, hypertension

The correct answer is: Altered mental status, hypotension

Reynold's Pentad expands upon Charcot's triad by including symptoms that indicate a more severe and potentially life-threatening condition. The correct answer, which includes altered mental status and hypotension, reflects the critical state of a patient who may be experiencing severe cholangitis or a significant infection. Altered mental status can signify sepsis or significant systemic involvement, suggesting that the infection is affecting the brain function due to reduced perfusion or the release of inflammatory mediators. Hypotension indicates a drop in blood pressure, which could denote the body's inability to maintain adequate circulation in response to an infection or septic shock. In contrast, while the other choices include various symptoms that may appear in medical conditions, they do not capture the full scope of the severity that Reynold's Pentad represents. Symptoms such as abdominal pain or tachycardia can be present in many situations, but they do not necessarily indicate the same level of criticality as altered mental status and hypotension. Similarly, fever and elevated WBC count are common indicators of infection but do not reflect the immediate life-threatening consequences that are highlighted in Reynold's Pentad. Bradycardia and hypertension also do not align with the typical presentation of this condition. Understanding these