For a client with Cushing's disease, which laboratory value is expected?

A client with Cushing's disease typically exhibits elevated sodium levels due to the effects of excess cortisol, which promotes sodium retention and can lead to hypernatremia. Therefore, a sodium level of 150 mEq/L aligns with the expected physiological changes in someone suffering from this condition.

In Cushing's disease, the overproduction of cortisol not only affects sodium balance but also leads to alterations in potassium and calcium levels. Potassium levels often decrease in Cushing's patients, resulting in hypokalemia, and calcium levels may be low due to alterations in metabolism and absorption, but this does not directly relate to the expected highly elevated sodium level.

This context helps in understanding why elevated sodium is characteristic in Cushing's disease, reinforcing the association between cortisol excess and electrolytic imbalances.