The nurse is implementing a dexamethasone suppression test on a patient with Cushing's syndrome. Which of the following steps should the nurse plan on implementing?
Explanation
• Dexamethasone is administered at around 23:00 and then serum levels are measured the following morning.
• The dexamethasone suppression test measures the negative feedback mechanism between cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Normally, an increase in cortisol will cause a decrease in ACTH secretion.
• This test helps differentiate among the different types of Cushing's syndrome.