Questions: ppincott / Assignments x + v.com/courses/g1AHZ216ED3W/assignments d Electrolyte Imbalance Question 4 of 5 The nurse is teaching a client with dependent edema the importance of elevating the lower legs several times a day. Which effect of elevating the legs will the nurse describe to the client as the primary reason this action reduces edema? O Decreases capillary filtration pressures to reduce fluid in the interstitial space O Increases interstitial hydrostatic pressure to promote reabsorption of fluid O Decreases the amount of hydrostatic pressure at the venous end of capillaries O Increases colloid osmotic pressure to pull fluid into the venous end of capillaries SUBMIT ANSWER

The answer is the third one: Decreases the amount of hydrostatic pressure at the venous end of capillaries.

Explanation for each option:

1. Decreases capillary filtration pressures to reduce fluid in the interstitial space: While elevating the legs can help reduce capillary filtration pressure, this is not the primary mechanism by which edema is reduced. The main effect is on the venous system rather than the capillaries directly.

2. Increases interstitial hydrostatic pressure to promote reabsorption of fluid: Elevating the legs does not significantly increase interstitial hydrostatic pressure. Instead, it primarily affects the venous pressure.

3. Decreases the amount of hydrostatic pressure at the venous end of capillaries: This is the correct answer. Elevating the legs reduces the hydrostatic pressure in the veins, which in turn decreases the pressure at the venous end of the capillaries. This reduction in pressure helps to prevent fluid from leaking out of the capillaries into the interstitial space, thereby reducing edema.

4. Increases colloid osmotic pressure to pull fluid into the venous end of capillaries: Colloid osmotic pressure is primarily influenced by the concentration of plasma proteins and is not significantly affected by leg elevation. Therefore, this is not the primary mechanism by which elevating the legs reduces edema.

Summary: Elevating the legs helps to reduce edema primarily by decreasing the hydrostatic pressure at the venous end of capillaries, which reduces the tendency for fluid to leak into the interstitial space.