What lab result should the nurse anticipate when caring for a patient with acute pancreatitis?

In a patient with acute pancreatitis, it is common to observe elevated glucose levels due to the inflammatory process affecting insulin production and regulation. The pancreas plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism, and when it becomes inflamed, its ability to produce insulin may be impaired, leading to hyperglycemia. Therefore, a glucose level of 140 would be consistent with the expected metabolic changes in acute pancreatitis.

Additionally, hypocalcemia, or low calcium levels, frequently occurs in acute pancreatitis. This is largely due to the fat necrosis and saponification that can develop during the disease process. A calcium level of 8.0 is on the lower end of the normal spectrum and indicates a potential for hypocalcemia, which aligns with the common laboratory findings associated with acute pancreatitis.

In contrast, other choices present glucose levels that fall within the normal range or suggest calcium levels that are not indicative of the typical lab results seen in acute pancreatitis, where elevated glucose and low calcium are the expected findings. This combination of elevated glucose and low calcium makes the first option the most consistent with the clinical picture of acute pancreatitis.