03-12-2008, 08:06 AM
A 65-year-old man with a known history of prostatism develops a fever of 39.5°C (103°F), shaking chills, and progressive deterioration. He is brought to the emergency room where his systolic blood pressure is 60 mmHg. He is given intravenous fluids and pressors and is intubated. Although his gram-negative sepsis is brought under control with antibiotics, he remains intubated for another 5 days to recover from diffuse lung injury. During this time he is not given any nutrition. How does the patient cope metabolically with the stress imposed by his acute illness?
A) Conversion of body fat into ketones
B) Conversion of body fat into protein
C) Conversion of glucose to glycogen
D) Conversion of skeletal muscle to amino acids
E) Conversion of glycogen to glucose
A) Conversion of body fat into ketones
B) Conversion of body fat into protein
C) Conversion of glucose to glycogen
D) Conversion of skeletal muscle to amino acids
E) Conversion of glycogen to glucose